Home  Department 
of  To-Day 

FLORA  V.  STEBBINS 


The  "Times"  Handbooks 


^MBBES^t  SPirSffJP- 


for  Sunday-School 

j  ^ 

vVorkers.         Number 


-WK 


6.1.  /i'. 


PRINCETON,  N.  J. 


* 


n 


i 


BV    1578    .S82 
Stebbins,    Flora   V. 
The   home   department    of    to- 
day 


THE  HOME  DEPARTMENT  OF  TO-DAY 


The 

Home  Department 

of  To-Day 


Flora  V.  Stebbins 


H0&** 


The  Sunday  School  Times  Company 
Philadelphia 


Copyright,  1907, 

BY 

The  Sunday  School  Times  Company 


FOREWORD 

The  aim  of  this  book  is  to  help  to  a  better  un- 
derstanding and  to  a  truer  and  wider  conception 
of  one  of  the  most  important  factors  in  the  re- 
Hgious  education  of  the  church  and  community 
—the  Home  Department  of  the  Sunday-school. 

We  hope  that  the  why  and  the  how  of  this  de- 
partment may  be  made  very  clear  to  all  who 
read.  We  do  not  purpose  to  consider  the  recent 
history  of  the  work,  interesting  and  valuable  as 
that  is.  We  do  not  bring  to  you  one  untried 
theory,  necessary  as  theories  are.  We  do  bring 
to  you  the  plans,  the  methods,  and  the  ideals  of 
the  Home  Department  of  to-day. 

As  Visitor,  superintendent,  district  secretary 
and  state  secretary,  the  writer  has  given  all  of 
her  time  for  more  than  six  years  to  this  work. 
Now,  and  for  all  the  rest  of  her  life,  she  is  a 
Home  Department  worker  at  large.  Out  of  this 
experience  and  from  her  contact  with  workers 
from  all  parts  of  North  America,  she  sends  forth 
this  little  book  with  the  prayer  that  it  may  help 
all  now  engaged  in  this  work ;  that  it  may  stimu- 
late many  to  undertake  it ;  that  it  may  be  a  help- 
ful handbook  for  all  secretaries  engaged  in 
organized  effort  in  the  Sunday-school. 

F.  V.  S. 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  I 
What  It  Is i 

CHAPTER  II 
Its  Territory 6 

CHAPTER  III 
Its  Members  :  How  Secured ii 

CHAPTER  IV 
Its  Workers  :  Their  Qualifications  and  Duties,    i  8 

CHAPTER  V 
Its  Relationships 24 

CHAPTER  VI 
How  TO  Organize  a  Home  Department    ....    28 

CHAPTER  VII 
Supplies,  and  How  to  Use  Them 34 

CHAPTER  VIII 
Home  Department  Classes 39 

CHAPTER  IX 

Visitors'  Meetings 45 

vii 


viii  Contents 

CHAPTER  X 
The  Messenger  Service 49 

CHAPTER  XI 
The  Sunshine  Band 68 

CHAPTER  Xn 
Receptions,  Socials,  Special  Days 79 

CHAPTER  XHI 
Its  Place  in  organized  Sunday-School  Work  .    84 

CHAPTER  XIV 
Council  and  Chapter  Plans 90 

CHAPTER  XV 
Incidents 98 


CHAPTER  I 

WHAT    IT   IS 

Before  defining  the  Home  Department,  we 
shall  first  determine  its  purpose. 

I — To  make  membership  and  fellowship  in  the 
Sunday-school  possible  for  every  one. 

2 — To  secure  systematic  Bible  study  on  the 
part  of  every  one. 

3 — To  secure  recognition  and  due  appreciation 
of  the  family  and  the  home  in  our  church  work. 

4 — To  bring  into  the  home  a  truer  ideal  of 
family  life  and  privilege. 

5 — To  secure  the  deepest  possible  interest  in 
the  church  and  all  its  work. 

*'Not  the  individual,  but  the  family  is  the  unit 
of  society,  and  the  Home  Department  of  to-day, 
true  to  its  name,  aims  to  unite,  in  common  inter- 
ests, all  the  members  of  the  family  in  the  study 
of  God's  Word,  his  teachings,  his  love  and  his 
care." 

What  It  Is. — Meeting  the  newly-elected 
superintendent  of  a  large  school  on  the  street, 
the  writer  asked  him  if  he  had  a  Home  Depart- 
ment in  his  school.  He  looked  puzzled  for  a 
moment  and  then  said :     "  Home  Department  ? 


2  The  Home  Department  of  To-day 

Home  Department  ?  Well,  I  should  say  that  I 
had  !  A  big  one,  too."  The  questioner  was 
delighted ;  another  big  Home  Department  to  add 
to  those  already  on  the  state  list.  ''  I  am  so  glad. 
Who  is  the  superintendent,  and  how  many  Visi- 
tors and  members  ?  "  With  laughing  eyes  but 
serious  mien  he  replied :  "  Too  many  for  me  to 
count.  Too  many  for  any  officers  to  muster  their 
courage  to  handle.  The  many  who  do  not  attend 
Sunday-school,  but  cheerfully  leave  the  church 
at  the  close  of  the  morning  preaching  service ; 
80%  of  the  parents  of  the  children  in  our  school, 
50%  of  the  young  people  between  the  ages  of 
twenty  and  thirty  years,  and  the  many  who  really 
and  truly  cannot  come,  who  would  if  they  could. 
There  !  Haven't  we  a  big  Home  Department  ?  " 
He  had,  and  many  superintendents  have  just  that 
kind  of  a  Home  Department,  but  that  is  not  the 
kind  we  respect,  nor  is  it  the  Home  Department 
of  the  Sunday-school. 

A  Home  Department  is  that  department  which 
enables  every  one  who  cannot  or  will  not  attend 
the  regular  sessions  of  the  Sunday-school  to 
enjoy  the  privileges  of  full  membership  in  the 
school  upon  the  condition  of  at  least  one-half 
hour's  study  of  the  current  Sunday-school  lesson 
each  week. 

Experience  has  taught  us  that  when  any  school 
awakens  to  a  knowledge  of  the  conditions  which 


What  It  Is  3 

exist  in  every  school  and  community,  and  is  will- 
ing to  do  the  best  that  it  can  to  change  these  con- 
ditions, it  is  possible  to  have  a  good  Home  De- 
partment of  the  Sunday-school. 

After  two  years  of  special  endeavor  in  this  de- 
partment, in  Massachusetts,  the  results  were  so 
manifest  and  so  gratifying  that  a  new  definition 
was  given  at  a  convention ;  this  so  well  expressed 
the  meaning  and  accomplishment  of  the  work 
t'hat  it  was  adopted  by  the  state  committee  as 
Massachusetts'  definition  of  her  Home  Depart- 
ment work.  "  The  Home  Department  is  the 
lengthening  of  the  cords  and  the  strengthening 
of  the  stakes  of  the  Sunday-school,  by  taking  it, 
with  its  two-fold  purpose  of  bringing  souls  to 
Christ  and  of  building  souls  up  in  Christ,  into 
the  home,  to  those  who  for  any  reason  cannot 
or  will  not  attend  the  regular  sessions  of  the 
school." 

Subsequent  experience  has  proved  that  the 
truths  of  the  statements  contained  in  this  lengthy 
definition  have  been  experienced  by  states  in  the 
west,  the  north,  and  the  south.  What  it  is  in  one 
state,  it  can  be,  and  is  steadily  becoming,  in  all 
the  states,  provinces  and  territories  of  our  land. 

So  potent  a  factor  has  the  Home  Department 
become  in  the  Sunday-school  world  that  all  the 
evangelical  denominations  have  recognized, 
adopted,  and  recommended  it  to  their  schools. 


4  The  Ho7iie  Department  of  To-day 

All  the  great  denominational  and  interdenom- 
inational publishing  houses  have  issued  complete 
sets  of  Home  Department  requisites  and  descrip- 
tive circulars,  samples  of  which  may  be  had  upon 
application.  Many  issue  a  special  Home  Depart- 
ment quarterly.  The  teachers'  magazines  have 
pertinent  and  instructive  Home  Department  mat- 
ter. The  Sunday  School  Times  and  the  World 
Evangel  keep  the  brightest  and  best  of  methods 
and  incidents  before  their  readers. 

Nearly  every  state,  province  and  territory  in 
North  America  has  its  own  special  Home  De- 
partment secretary,  with  many  assistants  in  the 
counties,  townships  and  districts.  The  state  and 
provincial  associations  issue  descriptive  circulars 
which  are  cheerfully  sent  out  from  headquarters 
for  their  organized  work,  upon  application.  The 
International  Association  keeps  guard  over  all 
the  work  and  has  its  own  circular  on  the  subject 
to  foster  and  stimulate  interest  in  the  depart- 
ment. This  circular  can  be  obtained  on  request 
from  Mr.  Marion  Lawrance,  Toledo,  Ohio. 

The  Home  Department  is  now  thoroughly 
established  in  the  Sunday-school  realm.  It  has 
proved  its  right  to  live ;  it  has  won  its  way  by 
supplementing — never  supplanting — all  the  deep 
foundations  of  the  church  and  Sunday-school 
structure,  and  widening  all  the  avenues  of  their 
service.    Grand  and  glorious  as  is  the  Home  De- 


What  It  Is  5 

partment  of  to-day,  it  is  but  the  earnest  of  what 
the  Home  Department  of  to-morrow  may  be. 

''The  field  is  the  world."    Matt.  13:  38. 
"  Go  ye  into  all  the  world,  and  preach  the  gospel  to 
the  whole  creation."    Mark  16:  15. 


CHAPTER  II 

ITS   TERRITORY 

*'  What  is  the  best  field  for  Home  Depart- 
ment work  ?  "  is  often  asked.  That  place  where 
the  greatest  number  of  people  are  out  of  Sunday- 
school  fellowship  and  membership;  that  place 
where  so  many  of  the  ''  good  people  "  are  satis- 
fied with  attendance  on  the  preaching  service  on 
Sunday,  and  have  little  or  no  thought  or  interest 
in  the  teaching  service.  This  may  be  true  of  the 
town,  village,  or  city  community.  Wherever 
there  is  one  soul  who  cannot  or  will  not  attend 
the  Sunday-school  service  there  is  a  field  for 
Home  Department  work. 

In  the  hill  and  mountain  country,  where  roads 
are  bad  and  distances  great,  and,  it  may  be, 
churches  few  and  many  miles  away,  the  existence 
of  this  department  opens  up  a  mine  of  possibili- 
ties. 

A  colporteur,  touring  northern  Wisconsin, 
called  at  a  home  one  afternoon  to  secure  a  din- 
ner. He  was  made  royally  welcome,  for  this 
family  had  no  English-speaking  neighbors  within 
eight  miles,  and  the  settlement  was  thirteen  miles 
away.  The  colporteur  asked  about  the  church 
6 


Its  Territory  7 

affiliations.  Fifteen  years'  residence  under  such 
conditions  had  made  the  man  ahnost  forget  that 
he  had  any  church  relations.  Once  in  a  while  the 
circuit  rider  would  preach  at  the  settlement,  and 
if  the  notice  of  the  service  got  round  in  time, 
everybody  turned  out  to  hear  him.  The  settler 
had  had  no  news  of  his  old  home  in  New  England 
for  years,  but  there,  as  a  boy,  he  used  to  go  to 
church  and  Sunday-school  every  Sunday.  Yes, 
he  did  wish  that  his  children  might  have  the 
privileges  that  he  had  had  in  his  boyhood,  but  it 
was  impossible.  A  tactful  presentation  of  the 
Home  Department  plan,  and  an  exhibition  of  the 
attractive  quarterly  and  the  good  print  Bible, 
won  the  admiration  and  interest  of  the  entire 
family,  and  all  agreed  to  join  the  "  Colporteur's 
Home  Department  Class."  He  would  send  the 
next  supplies  when  due,  if  he  was  unable  to  make 
the  rounds  himself.  On  leaving  the  home,  the 
colporteur  said :  *'  H  you  enjoy  the  study  of  the 
lesson  together,  when  you  go  down  to  the  store, 
take  some  of  these  extra  quarterlies  and  applica- 
tion cards,  and  pass  them  on  to  your  friends." 

Six  months  later,  when  the  colporteur  drove 
up  to  the  door,  the  man  came  out  and  said : 
"  No,  don't  hitch  your  horse  there ;  Dick  will 
take  her  round  to  the  barn  and  put  her  up.  You 
must  stay  with  us  and  visit  our  Sunday-school." 
The  next  day,  Sunday,  they  drove  the  thirteen 


8  The  Home  Department  of  To-day 

miles  to  the  settlement.  In  the  hall  over  the 
"  store  "  were  gathered  nearly  all  the  children 
for  miles  around,  and  many  grown-ups.  Those 
who  could  not  come  were  members  of  the  Home 
Department.  Every  Sunday,  rain  or  shine,  this 
family  drove  the  thirteen  miles  to  carry  on  the 
Sunday-school,  numbering  nearly  fifty,  and  dur- 
ing the  quarter  visited  every  one  of  the  forty- 
two  Home  Department  members. 

The  character  of  the  settlement  had  changed ; 
the  observance  of  the  sabbath,  the  study  of  the 
Word,  and  a  recognition  of  God's  power  and  his 
love,  had  all  been  brought  to  this  isolated  com- 
munity through  one  family  becoming  thoroughly 
interested  in  the  Home  Department  of  the  Sun- 
day-school. They  could  not  rest  until  they  had  a 
Sunday-school  of  their  own  to  ''  hitch  the  other 
Home  Department  members  on  to." 

In  the  great  lumber  camps  of  the  northwest, 
in  the  mines,  on  the  seas,  we  find  that  we  may,  if 
we  will,  enter  in  and  possess  the  land  and  sea, 
that  his  Word  may  find  favor  with  the  people. 

"  But  our  school  is  so  poor  that  we  cannot 
afford  a  Home  Department.  Yes,  there  are 
many  that  we  might  reach,  but  we  have  no  money 
to  make  the  beginning  and  buy  the  necessary 
supplies." 

Facts  go  to  show  that  the  Home  Department 
is  frequently  the  best  financial  department  of  the 


Its  Territory  g 

school.  It  will  pay  to  borrow  the  necessary 
money  for  the  first  supplies.  Some  of  the  de- 
nominational publishing  houses  send  a  sufficient 
quantity  of  supplies  free  to  schools  in  order  to 
start  a  department.  Rightly  managed,  no  Home 
Department  should  be  an  expense  to  the  school, 
but  on  the  other  hand,  should  yield  a  good  in- 
come. People  are  glad  to  contribute  of  their 
means  to  things  that  are  worth  while.  A  dear 
Scotch  lady,  who  worked  for  her  living,  always 
put  a  silver  dollar  in  her  envelope  each  quarter. 
When  the  Visitor,  knowing  the  conditions,  tim- 
idly suggested  that  it  was  too  much,  and  that  a 
smaller  amount  would  do  as  well,  the  lady  said : 
"  Nae,  nae,  'tis  little  enough ;  such  a  comfort  as 
it  is  to  me  to  feel  that  I  can  keep  along  with  the 
bairns  in  their  Sunday-school  even  if  I  cannot 
go  along.  I  belong  and  'they  know  I  do.  When 
they  get  to  be  mithers,  they  can  belong  to  the 
school,  too,  and  they  will,  for  they  like  to  do 
everything  mither  does  now,  bless  them  !  " 

"  There  are  a  good  many  we  might  reach,  but 
we  have  no  one  to  do  the  work.  All  our  people 
who  can  work  are  already  overburdened."  Yes, 
some  are  overburdened,  but  with  cares,  even 
though  they  are  "  church  cares "  that  are  of 
minor  importance.  Sewing  circles,  church  fairs, 
suppers  galore,  festivals — all  these  may  have 
their  place,  but  they  should  always  be  subservient 


lo  The  Home  Departinent  of  To-day 

to  the  distinctive  work  for  which  the  church 
stands,  the  teaching  and  preaching  of  his  Word 
by  precept  and  example,  the  close  following  of 
the  two  great  commandments,  his  redemptive 
work.  For  all  this  the  Home  Department  work 
stands. 

There  must  be  those  in  every  church  who  are 
willing  to  *'  walk  and  talk  that  they  may  win 
some  "  to  love  his  Word  and  his  church.  All 
that  they  need  is  the  wise  discrimination  of  the 
correct  values  of  work;  the  ''putting  of  first 
things  first."  The  following  has  helped  many  a 
one  to  decide  this  rather  difficult  thing.  "  Span- 
ning the  entrance  to  the  cathedral  in  Milan  are 
three  beautiful  arches.  Over  the  first,  is  sculp- 
tured a  wreath  of  roses  with  these  words  in- 
scribed :  *  All  that  which  pleases  is  but  for  a 
moment.'  Over  the  third  arch  is  sculptured  a 
cross  and  these  words  :  '  All  that  which  troubles 
is  but  for  a  moment.'  Over  the  grand  central 
arch  are  these  words :  *  That  only  is  important 
which  is  eternal.'  "  No  place  is  too  remote,  no 
difficulty  is  too  great,  to  make  good  Home  De- 
partment work  possible.  Given  one  interested 
person  to  lead  in  the  work  and  the  work  will 
succeed. 


CHAPTER  III 

ITS    MEMBERS  :     HOW   SECURED 

There  are  many  good  people  who  have  a 
strong  prejudice  against  the  Home  Department. 
They  say  that  it  makes  it  possible,  even  com- 
mendable, for  one  to  join  the  Home  Department 
when  they  might  just  as  well  become  members 
of  the  regular  school  and  attend  its  sessions. 
The  following  facts  should  be  carefully  borne  in 
mind.  No  present  member  of  a  school  is  ever 
asked  to  leave  the  school  and  join  the  Home 
Department.  True,  some  of  necessity  do  leave 
the  school  and  join  the  Home  Department;  but 
no  one  would  ask  them  not  to  do  so,  as,  were  it 
not  for  this  department,  they  would  be  debarred 
from  all  membership  and  fellowship  of  the  school. 
On  the  other  hand,  we  find  that  where  one  per- 
son leaves  the  school  to  join  the  Home  Depart- 
ment, six  leave  the  Home  Department  to  join 
the  school.  The  Home  Department  is  no  refuge 
for  the  lazy  class ;  lesson  study  is  the  chief  re- 
quirement for  membership.  Too  many  schol- 
ars never  look  at  their  lesson  until  they  enter 
the  class  on  Sunday.  Home  study  is  not  yet 
universal  on  the  part  of  the  regular  pupil. 

II 


1 2  The  Home  Department  of  To-day 

Our  Mkmbejrs: — We  have  the  right  to 
expect  that  all  our  church  members  will  be 
enrolled  as  members  of  the  "  Bible  study  depart- 
ment of  the  church,"  the  Sunday-school.  The 
first  clause  of  Bishop  Vincent's  unparalleled  defi- 
nition of  the  Sunday-school  gives  us  our  premise 
— ''  The  Sunday-school  is  a  department  of  the 
church  of  Christ."  How  can  we  secure  the  Sun- 
day-school membership  of  all  of  our  church- 
members  ? 

One  department  tried  the  following  plan  with 
gratifying  results ;  hundreds  of  Departments 
have  since  used  the  same  plan,  which  in  several 
instances  has  brought  perfect  success.  The 
superintendent  of  the  Home  Department  called 
the  Visitors  together  for  conference  and  prayer. 
The  pastor  and  the  superintendent  of  the  school 
were  present,  and  each  commended  the  work 
and  commissioned  the  Visitors  to  make  their 
canvass  for  members  by  the  authority  of  the 
church  and  school.  The  names  of  all  the  church 
members  not  in  the  Sunday-school  were  divided 
among  the  Visitors.  The  names  of  the  non- 
resident or  absent  members  were  given  to  the 
Visitor  who  liked  to  write  letters.  Every  mem- 
ber was  then  interviewed  or  written  to,  regard- 
ing the  proposed  campaign  for  '*  raising  the 
standard  of  Bible  study  on  the  part  of  the 
church  members  "  and,  as  the  best  way  of  bring- 


Its  Members :  How  Secured 


13 


ing  this  about  was  membership  in  the  Sunday- 
school,  the  invitation  to  join  the  school  was 
given.  Many  could  not  join — the  mothers  with 
the  babies  to  care  for,  nurses,  physicians,  men 
and  women  whose  occupation  precluded  all  such 
attendance  upon  the  school,  the  sick,  the  aged, 
those  who  lived  so  far  from  the  school  that  they 
could  not  attend  with  any  degree  of  regularity. 
To  all  such  the  Home  Department  was  explained 
as  the  new  department  making  their  membership 
possible. 

To  make  a  thorough  and  inclusive  report  one 
Visitor  adopted  the  following  unique,  and,  with 
her,  original  plan.  She  ruled  and  headed  her 
canvass  report  sheet  thus : 


Name 

Regular 
Attendant 

Shut-in 

Shut-out 

Won't 

The  names  of  the  twenty  people  on  her  list  were 
written  in  the  proper  column.  She  told  of  the 
plan  and  of  the  new  department  and  then,  show- 
ing her  report  blank,  she  explained  that  they 
must  be  reported  in  some  one  of  the  columns. 
"  We  would  love  to  have  you  come  to  the 
school,  and  if  you  will,  I  will  put  a  cross  opposite 


14  The  Home  Department  of  To-day 

your  name  in  the  column  of  *  Regular  Attendant.' 
If  you  are  a  *  Shut-in,'  we  will  bring  the  Sunday- 
school  to  you  through  the  Home  Department. 
If  you  have  to  work  on  Sunday,  you  are  a  *  Shut- 
out,' but  you  can  belong  through  the  Home  De- 
partment. Of  course  if  you  will  not  come  to 
the  school  or  allow  us  to  bring  the  school  to  you, 
I  shall  have  to  put  you  in  the  '  Won't '  column. 
Perhaps  I  ought  to  tell  you  that  Dr.  R —  and 
Dr.  B —  have  to  see  this  report,  as  well  as  Mrs. 
S — ."  She  secured  three  **  shut-ins  "  and  two 
*'  shut-outs "  for  the  Home  Department,  and 
the  other  fifteen  promised  to  come  into  the  main 
school.  In  five  w'eeks'  time,  every  one  of  the 
fifteen  was  in  the  school,  one  as  department 
superintendent,  two  others  as  teachers,  and  the 
remaining  ones  as  pupils.  The  "  Won't  "  col- 
umns are  carefully  avoided. 

Next  we  want  *'  every  member  of  every  family 
represented  by  the  pupils  in  our  school."  In 
every  Sunday-school  there  are  children  with 
whose  parents  we  are  little  or  not  at  all 
acquainted.  There  are  big  brothers  and  sisters 
whose  membership  in  our  organized  classes  we 
covet.  There  are  grandparents  whose  friendship 
we  should  prize,  if  we  knew  them.  The  Home 
Department  Visitor  may  realize  all  this  for  the 
school  in  the  canvass ;  but  there  is  yet  **  a  more 
excellent  way." 


Its  Members :  How  Secured  1 5 

One  Way  to  Be:gin. — The  Home  Depart- 
ment workers,  with  the  officers  and  teachers  of 
the  school,  spend  an  evening  together  conferring 
about  the  work.  Every  teacher  is  made  to  un- 
derstand the  work,  to  see  its  opportunities,  and 
to  grow  enthusiastic  over  the  possibilities.  Then 
their  co-operation  is  asked  for  and  secured.  Each 
teacher  pledges  herself  to  be  responsible  for 
securing  the  Home  Department  members  in  the 
families  of  her  pupils.  In  large  classes  additional 
Visitors  may  be  secured  to  aid  the  teacher,  and 
these  additional  Visitors  report  their  calls  to  the 
teacher  as  well  as  to  the  Home  Department 
superintendent,  so  that  the  teacher  may  be 
familiar  with  the  home  surroundings  of  her 
pupils. 

The  following  Sunday  the  teachers  use  some 
time  in  explaining  the  Home  Department  plan  to 
their  pupils  and  in  urging  them  to  try,  and  to 
continue  trying,  until  every  member  of  their  fam- 
ily belongs  to  the  Sunday-school.  Each  pupil  is 
given  a  letter  of  invitation  and  explanation  and 
an  application  card  to  take  home  for  use  in  his 
"  home  mission "  work.  At  the  close  of  the 
school  a  brief  inspiring  talk  on  the  subject  is 
given  by  the  pastor  or  some  Home  Department 
expert,  which  helps  to  increase  the  enthusiasm 
of  the  school.  If  possible  get  this  motto  and 
hang  on  the  wall  of  your  school-room :  "  Every 


1 6  The  Home  Department  of  To-day 

member  of  every  family  a  member  of  some  de- 
partment of  our  Sunday-school."  Every  Sun- 
day call  for  results.  Let  the  teacher  give  the 
number  of  members  secured  by  her  pupils.  A 
healthy  rivalry  will  thus  be  stimulated.  Some 
schools  have  a  membership  contest  in  connection 
with  the  Home  Department  plan,  and,  wisely 
managed,  this  is  found  to  be  very  helpful. 

In  one  school  there  were  two  classes  of  boys 
of  the  same  grade ;  seven  boys  in  each  class. 
They  were  wildly  enthusiastic  over  the  plan.  At 
last  here  was  something  that  they  could  do.  They 
counted  up  and  found  there  were  thirty-three 
non-Sunday-school  members  represented  by  the 
families  of  one  class  and  thirty-one  in  the  other. 
Unwilling  to  make  the  concession  of  two  in  the 
result,  operations  were  suspended  for  one  week. 
The  next  Sunday  all  were  jubilant.  *'  WeVe 
fixed  it  all  right  now.  Harold's  mother  has  taken 
two  boarders  and  neither  of  them  go  to  Sunday- 
school;  and  now  we're  even,  thirty-three  each, 
and  just  watch  us  go  it  1  " 

If  this  method  is  used  in  place  of  the  ordinary 
canvass  (which  is  not  to  be  underrated  at  all) 
you  gain  several  important  points^  which  make 
for  success.  First,  the  school  knows  the  work, 
and  just  what  the  Department  stands  for.  Sec- 
ond, you  have  wonderfully  increased  the  working 
force  of  your  school.     Third,  you  have  made  it 


Its  Members :  How  Secured  ly 

easy  for  the  teachers  to  know  the  home  environ- 
ment of  their  pupils.  Fourth,  you  have  elevated 
the  tone  of  your  school.  No  one  can  think  it 
merely  a  place  for  the  children  and,  it  may  be, 
the  mothers,  but  it  is  the  place  for  the  fathers 
and  big  brothers  and  every  one. 

Then  we  seek  for  members  in  our  institutions : 
fraternity  homes,  homes  for  the  aged,  soldiers' 
and  sailors'  homes,  asylums,  prisons,  fire  stations, 
police  stations,  lighthouses,  Hfe-saving  stations, 
homes  of  refuge,  navy  and  military  camps,  on 
ocean  liners  and  sailing  vessels,  in  hotels,  tele- 
phone offices,  telegraph  stations,  railroad  offices 
and  electric  car  terminals,  etc.  Wherever  there 
are  those  who  for  any  reason  are  out  of  fellow- 
ship with  us  we  try  to  reach  them.  If  the  inter- 
est and  co-operation  of  those  who  are  in  author- 
ity in  these  places  is  first  secured, — and,  if  they 
are  not  members  of  some  Sunday-school,  their 
membership  secured  for  the  Home  Department, — 
it  is  not  at  all  difficult  to  secure  the  membership 
of  the  employees.  For  a  century  we  have  been 
giving  our  best  thought  to  those  who  come  to 
us.  Now  let  us  turn  our  thought  and  effort  to 
those  who  are  as  yet  unreached. 
Our  Thought — For  others. 
Our  Purpose — Until  all  are  reached. 


CHAPTER  IV 

ITS   WORKERS  :   THEIR    QUALIFICATIONS 
AND    DUTIES 

Upon  the  working  force  of  the  Home  Depart- 
ment, the  results  depend.  The  Superintendent 
and  requisite  number  of  Visitors  constitute  the 
working  force  of  the  average  Department.  In  a 
large  Department  a  secretary  and  treasurer 
(usually  one  person  can  fill  both  offices)  and  sub- 
stitute Visitors  are  added.  The  happiest  and 
most  progressive  Departments  have  the  addi- 
tional help  of  the  Messenger  Service  and  the 

Sunshine  Band. 

The  Superintendent 

The  qualifications  of  a  superintendent  are 
summed  up  in  three  telling  words  by  Mr.  C.  D. 
Meigs,  the  warm-hearted  champion  of  the  Home 
Department,  as  grace,  grit,  gumption.  These 
qualifications  are  essential.  Add  to  a  true  spir- 
itual life,  loving  persistency,  quiet  tact,  adaptabil- 
ity, executive  ability ;  and  round  about  all,  like  a 
golden  band,  a  great  belief  in,  and  love  for,  this 
phase  of  Christian  work,  and  you  have  the  right 
kind  of  superintendent. 

"  Who  makes  the  better  superintendent,  a  man 


Its  Workers:   Their  Qualifications  19 

or  a  woman  ?  "  This  question  is  too  delicate  for 
a  direct  answer.  In  New  England  seventy-five 
per  cent,  of  the  superintendents  are  women  and 
twenty-five  per  cent,  are  men.  The  latter  per- 
centage is  increasing,  and  it  is  noticeable  that 
the  departments  superintended  by  men  are  among 
the  best  in  all  lines — especially  Visitation.  When 
a  man  superintendent  gives  out  the  quarterlies 
and  report  envelopes  to  the  Visitors  and  says,  ''  I 
shall  expect  a  full  report  from  you  this  quarter," 
he  usually  gets  it.  Whereas  when  a  woman 
superintendent  says  the  same  thing,  it  often  hap- 
pens that  the  Visitors  '*  make  excuse,"  knowing 
that  she  will  understand.  On  the  other  hand, 
women  gave  up  long  ago  making  excuses  to  the 
"  lords  of  creation,"  realizing  their  utter  inability 
ever  to  understand. 

Duties  of  the  Superintendent. —  (i.)  To  pray. 
— A  praying  superintendent  never  fails  to  be  a 
good  superintendent.  He  does  not  rely  on  his 
own  strength  or  wisdom ;  he  prays  for  himself, 
his  helpers,  his  members,  and  the  church.  (2.) 
To  plan. — He  plans  for  the  canvassing  campaigns 
for  members ;  for  meetings  of  all  kinds  for  mem- 
bers and  workers;  for  training  courses  for  the 
Visitors ;  for  the  group  divisions  of  the  members 
into  "classes" ;  for  the  socials  and  receptions  for 
the  members ;  for  the  attendance  of  the  members 
on  the  special  days  of  the  school  and  church ;  for 


20  The  Home  Department  of  To-day 

conferences;  for  everything  that  shall  help  his 
department  to  grow  in  numbers,  efficiency,  and 
strength.  Above  all,  the  superintendent  shall 
plan  very  carefully  the  evangelistic  part  of  the 
work  of  the  department.  No  superintendent 
ought  to  be  satisfied  until  every  member  of  the 
department  becomes  a  member  of  the  church. 
(3.)  To  preach. — He  never  loses  an  oppor- 
tunity to  present  the  work.  He  makes  full  quar- 
terly and  annual  reports,  and  reads  them  himself, 
to  the  school.  That  superintendent  is  unwise 
who  commits  his  report  to  the  secretary  of  the 
school  to  read.  The  secretary  has  not  lived  the 
report ;  he  cannot,  therefore,  give  it  to  the  school 
with  the  right  emphasis.  It  is  not  a  mere  sta- 
tistical report;  it  ought  to  be  replete  with  inci- 
dents that  make  the  figures  live  before  the  school. 
If  it  is  an  innovation  in  your  school  to  have  a 
department  superintendent  read  his  own  report, 
now  is  a  good  time  to  begin.  (4.)  To  prac- 
tise.— He  always  practises  all  that  he  preaches. 
Every  superintendent  should,  if  possible,  have  a 
small  class  that  he  may  know  by  experience  just 
what  his  Visitors  are  encountering.  (5.)  To 
persuade. — He  should  be  continually  persuading 
people  to  join  as  members,  as  workers.  He 
should  try  to  persuade  that  church  across  the 
way  to  take  up  the  work,  promising  his  help  in 
starting  if  needed ;  he  should  persuade  the  super- 


Its  Workei's :   Their  Qualifications  21 

intendents  in  his  city  or  township  that  union 
Home  Department  conferences  in  the  city  or 
township  would  be  mutually  helpful.  (6.)  To 
push. — He  should  be  continually  vigilant ;  always 
on  the  lookout  to  find  some  better  plan  of  doing 
things ;  always  trying  to  raise  a  little  higher  the 
standard  of  work  being  done ;  always  seeking 
the  best  good  of  all.  His  watchword  should  be 
''  Forward." 

The  Visitors 

The  Visitors  of  the  Home  Department  need 
to  have  the  same  spirit  as  the  superintendent, 
plus  a  willingness  to  serve  in  all  possible  ways. 
The  superintendent  plans,  and  on  their  co-opera- 
tion in  carrying  out  the  plans  depends  very 
largely  the  success  of  the  Department.  The 
great  majority  of  the  Visitors  are  women,  for 
they,  as  a  rule,  have  the  greater  command  of  their 
time.  With  the  men  in  the  police,  fire,  railroad, 
and  electric  car-stations  coming  in  as  members, 
the  need  of  men  to  become  Visitors  is  apparent. 
The  Visitor  has  the  duty  and  privilege  of  prayer. 
One  Visitor  said  that  she  never  went  out  to  call 
on  her  members  without  first  asking  definitely  for 
guidance  in  word  and  action  in  each  particular 
case.  At  the  beginning  of  the  year  she  had  eight 
in  her  class,  and  not  one  of  them  was  a  church 
member;  at  the  close  of  the  second  year,  every 
one  of  them  had  united  with  the  church.     Each 


22  The  Home  Department  of  To-day 

Visitor  should  be  an  inspirational  friend  to  her 
superintendent ;  a  true  friend  to  every  member 
of  her  class.  They  should  make  their  calls  regu- 
larly and  be  prompt  in  securing  reports  from  the 
members  and  in  giving  the  reports  to  the  super- 
intendent. They  should  be  prompt  in  delivering 
the  lesson  helps  and  all  material  for  the  members. 
A  postal  card  sent  to  each  member  in  advance  of 
the  call  will  ensure  the  ''  at  homeness  "  of  the 
members,  thus  saving  much  of  the  time  and 
strength  of  the  Visitor. 

They  should  study  their  classes  as  individuals 
and  as  a  class  and  seek  to  meet  the  need  of  both 
instances.  They  should  keep  the  pastor,  Home 
Department  superintendent  and  general  superin- 
tendent  informed  of  all  cases  calling  for  their  co- 
operation.  Each  Visitor  should  be  continually 
seeking  new  members,  and  stimulating  their 
members  to  help  them. 

A  Visitor  had  a  member  who  lived  at  such  a 
distance  that  she  was  obliged  to  hire  a  team  and 
drive  when  she  made  her  quarterly  call.  The 
member  was  a  quiet  little  woman  who  had  but 
little  to  say,  and  was  in  every  way  most  diffident. 
The  Visitor  determined  that  after  the  next  call 
she  would  send  the  quarterly  by  mail,  and  not  go 
so  far  when  she  felt  that  she  was  not  especially 
helping  the  woman.  A  postal  sent  the  day  before 
always  ensured  that  the  woman  would  be  at  home 


Its  Workers :   Their  Qualifications  23 

waiting  for  her.  This  day  the  little  woman  had  her 
bonnet  and  shawl  on  when  the  Visitor  drove  up. 
She  made  this  explanation  with  some  difficulty : 
*'  You  see,  I  am  not  much  of  a  hand  to  talk  or 
to  express  myself,  but  I  feel  just  as  much,  and 
you  have  done  me  so  much  good,  coming  out 
here  and  telling  me  all  about  the  doings  at  the 
church  and  school.  You  said  next  time  but  one 
to  the  last  that  you  came,  that  you  were 
trying  to  get  some  more  members,  and  I  thought 
perhaps  I  could  help  you,  so  I've  been  round  the 
neighborhood  out  here.  The  folks  have  been 
interested  in  your  visits  and  when  I  told  them 
about  you  and  our  Sunday-school  I  found  that 
they  would  like  to  belong,  too,  and  so,  in  the 
seven  homes  just  around  here,  I  have  gotten  six- 
teen of  the  folks  to  join.  Here  are  their  applica- 
tion cards,  all  signed.  I  sent  for  them  so  as  to 
give  you  a  surprise.  Now  I  thought  that  we 
would  go  and  call  in  each  home  so  that  you  could 
see  the  folks  in  their  own  surroundings ;  but 
after  this  time,  we  have  agreed  to  be  all  together 
in  one  home  when  you  make  your  call,  so  that 
you  will  only  have  to  come  out  once  for  the 
seventeen  of  us,  and  perhaps  stay  to  tea." 

No  quarterlies  were  sent  by  mail  there,  and 
the  Visitor  learned  the  lesson  that  we  may  all 
learn,  that  we  must  not  judge  by  appearances 
alone  as  to  the  appreciation  of  our  work. 


CHAPTER  V 

ITS    RELATIONSHIPS 

The  relation  of  the  Home  Department  to  the 
school,  as  regards  rank,  corresponds  to  any  other 
department,  the  junior,  the  primary,  etc.  If  a 
school  has  the  beginners,  primary,  junior,  inter- 
mediate, s.enior,  adult,  and  Home  Departments, 
that  school  has  seven  departments.  Many  such 
say,  *'  We  have  six  departments  and  the  Home 
Department."  It  would  be  better  to  say,  *'  We 
have  seven  departments  including  the  Home  De- 
partment." Inasmuch  as  it  is  a  physical  impossi- 
bility to  see  the  Cradle  Roll  and  Home  Depart- 
ment each  Sunday,  it  may  be  wisest  to  mention 
these  two  by  name  when  giving  the  number  of 
departments  in  the  school. 

The  superintendent  ranks  equally  with  the 
primary  or  any  other  department  superintendent, 
and  is  entitled  to  all  the  privileges  common  to  the 
department  superintendents  on  the  official  board 
of  the  school.  The  Visitors  rank  equally  with 
the  teachers  in  the  main  school,  and  are  equal 
in  obligation,  recognition  and  privilege.  The 
members  rank  equally  with  the  members  of  the 
main  school  in  enrolment,  membership,  use  of 
24 


Its  Relationships  25 

library,  lesson  helps,  recognition,  special  days, 
and  even  place.  Each  member  should  feel  that 
whenever  it  is  possible  for  her  to  attend  the  ses- 
sion of  the  school  there  is  a  place  for  her. 

Much  confusion  has  arisen  because  of  the  ap- 
parent  discrepancy   between    statistics   and   ap- 
pearance.    For  example,  when  a  visitor  asked 
the  superintendent  the  membership  of  his  school, 
he  said,  ''  Four  hundred  "  ;  the  visitor  then  looked 
at  the  school  and  said,  ''  Is  this  your  average  at- 
tendance ?  "     "  Yes,  we  have  one  hundred  and 
eighty  here  to-day;  that  is  about  our  average, 
and  I  call  it  good."    Noticing  the  expression  on 
the  visitor's  face,  the  superintendent  bethought 
himself  and  said  hastily,  "  Our  main  school  num- 
bers two  hundred  and  our  Cradle  Roll  and  Home 
Department  as  many  more.   We  have  four  hun- 
dred members  in  all."    That  put  a  new  aspect  on 
the   case.     The   first   statement   was   absolutely 
true,  but  very  misleading.    Wise  superintendents 
or   secretaries   in   giving  the   statistics   of  their 
schools    will    give    the    enrolment    of   the    main 
school,  enrolment  of  the  Cradle  Roll,  and  enrol- 
ment of  the  Home  Department,  specifying  each, 
and  then  say,  "  Our  grand  total  membership  is 
."    It  is  "  grand,"  too,  to  have  the  Sunday- 
school  membership  reach  from  the  cradle  to  the 
end  of  life ;  let  us  put  ourselves  beyond  criticism 
by  giving  "  grand  totals." 


26  The  Home  Department  of  To-day 

The  relationship  with  the  superintendent  of  the 
school  is  mutual  in  its  character.  The  Home  De- 
partment is  equally  subject  with  the  other  de- 
partments to  his  jurisdiction.  He  has  the  right 
to  expect  from  members  and  workers  the  fullest 
co-operation.  This  department  should  claim  his 
thought  and  study,  and  he  should  be  ready  to 
criticise  and  help.  Many  a  general  superinten- 
dent has  very  greatly  endeared  himself  to  the 
Home  Department  members  by  sending  each  a 
little  note  of  remembrance  on  his  or  her  birthday. 

This  department  is  really  the  immediate  "  home 
mission "  effort  of  the  church.  The  Visitors 
have  a  glorious  opportunity  to  magnify  the 
church  and  all  its  interests  in  the  homes  of  their 
members.  In  many  churches  there  are  special 
Home  Department  pews  for  the  members,  with 
a  welcome  committee  to  wait  on  them,  this  com- 
mittee being  so  designated  by  badges  as  to  be 
easily  distinguished.  The  pastor  finds  in  the 
workers  a  band  of  willing  assistants.  When  they 
report  special  cases  of  need,  speedy  relief  is  as- 
sured. Many  an  overworked  pastor  has  found 
that  the  organization  of  a  Home  Department  has 
halved  his  labors,  instead  of  doubling  them,  as  he 
had  feared. 

The  pastor  can  greatly  aid  the  department  by 
having,  at  least  once  each  year,  a  '*  Home  De- 
partment Sunday,"  when  as  many  as  possible  of 


Its  Relations! dps  27 

the  members  shall  be  brought  to  the  church  to 
listen  to  a  sermon  prepared  especially  for  them. 
The  pastor  can  make  it  a  point  to  attend  all  gath- 
erings of  the  department  and  all  the  meetings  of 
the  workers.  Truly,  the  first  thing  to  be  secured 
to  ensure  the  success  of  any  department  is  the 
active,  sympathetic  co-operation  of  the  pastor. 

The  relation  of  this  department  to  the  home  is 
very  close.  It  brings  in  Christian  influences ;  it 
unites  and  unifies  family  interests ;  it  brings 
people  similarly  situated  into  helpful  relations 
with  each  other;  it  establishes  and  re-establishes 
family  altars;  it  dignifies  and  aids  in  giving  the 
Sunday-school  its  proper  rating  in  the  mind  of 
the  family ;  it  helps  more  than  any  other  known 
agency  of  the  church  or  school  to  preserve,  to 
conserve,  and  to  magnify  the  family  and  the 
home,  and  so  to  keep  the  honor  and  integrity  of 
the  very  foundations  of  the  state  and  nation. 


CHAPTER  VI 

HOW    TO    ORGANIZE    A    HOME    DEPARTMENT 

Many  people  attend  a  Sunday-school  conven- 
tion and  hear  an  address  on  this  department. 
They  get  a  view  of  its  possibilities,  suggestions  of 
results,  and  go  home  delighted  with  the  idea,  but 
with  little  knowledge  of  how  to  go  to  work  to 
start  a  department  in  their  own  school.  This 
chapter  is  written  for  just  such  people  ;  those  who 
know  just  enough  about  the  work  to  desire  it 
for  their  own  school,  but  who  do  not  know  the 
''  how  "  of  it.  A  careful  observance  of  the  fol- 
lowing six  Ts  will  ensure  the  organization  of  a 
department  that  cannot  fail  to  be  a  great  source 
of  strength  to  the  school  and  community. 

(i)  Inform. — Read  everything  that  you  can 
lay  hold  of  about  the  work.  The  Sunday  School 
Times  has  a  whole  page  of  suggestive  inci- 
dents, plans,  and  reports  each  month.  If  you 
are  eligible  to  membership  in  the  Field 
Workers'  Department  of  the  International 
Sunday-school  Association,  join,  and  subscribe 
to  the  state  and  provincial  Sunday-school  papers. 
Nearly  all  have  interesting  and  instructive  re- 
ports of  the  work.  No  two  departments  are 
28 


How  to  Organize  a  Hoine  Department      29 

alike,  and  the  knowledge  of  the  work  done  in 
Maine,  California,  Texas,  Illinois,  and  all  the 
country  between,  plus  the  splendid  work  being 
done  in  Canada,  gives  one  the  necessary  wide 
view  of  the  work  that  breeds  a  continual  enthu- 
siasm. All  our  denominational  and  interdenom- 
inational publishing  houses  have  their  own  de- 
scriptive leaflets  and  necessary  requisites  which 
may  be  had  for  study  upon  application.  Our 
strong  teachers'  magazines  have  space  devoted 
to  this  department,  filled  with  instructive  and 
interesting  matter.  Read  Meigs'  "  Blue  Book  " ; 
Harriet  Walden's  ''  How  Standstill  was 
Moved  " ;  "  The  Boynton  Neighborhood  "  and 
"  The  Home  Department  of  the  Sunday  School," 
published  by  the  Pilgrim  Press ;  study  carefully 
the  leaflet  published  by  The  Sunday  School 
Times  Company,  ''  How  to  Start  and  How  to 
Stock  a  Home  Department." 

Then  talk  with  those  who  have  had  experience 
in  the  work.  Seek  invitations  to  all  the  Home 
Department  gatherings  you  may  know  of,  be 
their  nature  social  or  instructive.  Much  in- 
formation may  be  gained  by  attending  a  Visitors' 
meeting,  a  Home  Department  conference,  insti- 
tute, social,  or  anniversary  service. 

(2)  Instruct. — Share  your  knowledge  of  the 
work  with  those  whose  co-operation  you  seek. 
Inasmuch  as  the  pastor  is  the  recognized  head  of 


30  The  Home  Department  of  To-day 

all  church  activities  by  virtue  of  his  office,  his  co- 
operation should  be  the  first  to  be  sought.  That 
this  be  secured  is  of  vital  importance  to  any  de- 
partment. "  What  is  the  first  thing  to  be  secured 
to  ensure  success  ? "  This  question  is  often 
asked,  and  from  experience  we  answer,  not  a 
superintendent  or  Visitors,  valuable  as  they  are; 
the  success  primarily  depends  upon  the  hearty, 
sympathetic  interest  and  true  whole-souled  co- 
operation of  the  pastor  of  the  church.  Secondly, 
secure  the  interest  and  co-operation  of  the  super- 
intendent, teachers  and  officers  of  the  school; 
and,  thirdly,  the  same  spirit  of  interest  and  co- 
operation on  the  part  of  the  school.  No  depart- 
ment can  fully  succeed  when  it  is  not  known  and 
recognized  by  every  member  of  the  school. 

(3)  Inspire. — Inspiration  is  essential  in  the 
organizing  of  this  department.  Not  only  for 
those  whose  help  we  seek,  but  those  to  whom  we 
may  minister,  the  members  of  the  congregation. 
Have  the  pastor  explain  the  plan  and  its  work- 
ings and  results  to  his  congregation  some  Sunday 
morning,  and  urge  upon  his  people  a  hearty  sup- 
port of  the  work  that  they  are  about  to  under- 
take. If  the  pastor  would  rather  have  some  one 
else,  such  as  a  Home  Department  expert,  explain 
the  plan,  he  can,  at  the  close  of  the  address,  com- 
mend it,  urge  its  organization  and  plead  for  a 
united  interest  in  it.     In  the  evening  the  pastor 


How  to  Organize  a  Home  Department      3  i 

can  help  by  preaching  a  sermon  on  the  import- 
ance of  Bible  study  by  every  individual.  If  some 
worker  presents  the  plan  for  the  pastor  on  a 
Sunday  morning,  he  should  also  address  very 
briefly  the  regular  Sunday-school  session.  At 
the  close  of  such  an  address  a  little  lad  raised  his 
hand ;  on  being  asked  what  he  wanted,  he  said, 
"  Do  you  mean  that  he  (pointing  to  the  pastor) 
and  he  (pointing  to  the  superintendent)  wants 
my  father  to  belong  to  my  Sunday-school  when 
he  works  on  the  railroad  and  has  to  run  every 
Sunday  ?  Can  he  belong  like  you  have  said  ?  " 
The  worker  said,  *'  Yes,  pastor  and  superinten- 
dent want  father  to  belong  very  much,  and  this 
plan  makes  it  perfectly  possible ;  will  you  help  us 
get  father  ?  "  "  Well,"  said  the  lad, ''  I  can  make 
father  do  almost  anything  if  I  keep  at  him  long 
enough,  and  I  will  start  right  in  on  this,  and  I'll 
get  him,  sure."  Many  fathers  have  been  reached 
by  boys  who  have  been  thus  inspired  with  the 
thought  that  their  Sunday-school  was  for  father 
and  that  they  might  be  the  one  to  secure  his 
membership. 

(4)  Institute. — We  are  ready  now  that  we 
have  information,  instruction  and  inspiration  to 
institute  this  department  as  a  regular  department 
of  the  school.  This  should  be  done  just  as  is  the 
custom  in  your  school, — brought  before  the 
school  through  the  official  board  and  the  recom- 


32  The  Home  Department  of  To-day 

mendation  adopted  by  the  school,  voted  upon  by 
the  school,  or  just  as  your  custom  dictates.  The 
superintendent  should  be  elected  by  the  official 
board,  and  then  the  superintendent  and  board 
select  and  elect  the  Visitors  and  such  auxiliary 
helpers  as  may  be  deemed  necessary.  The  neces- 
sary supplies  should  be  secured  from  your  de- 
nominational publishing  house,  ready  to  be  given 
to  each  Visitor. 

(5)  Install. — To  aid  in  giving  the  proper 
sense  of  responsibility  and  dignity  to  the  work 
an  instahation  service  of  the  workers  is  strongly 
recommended.  This  is  most  effective  when  most 
simple.  It  may  properly  come  at  the  close  of  a 
Sunday  morning  service,  or  at  the  opening  or 
closing  service  of  the  Sunday-school.  We  be- 
Heve  that  at  the  close  of  the  church  service  is  the 
better  time  and  place.  At  the  close  of  an  appro- 
priate sermon,  after  a  few  introductory  and  ex- 
planatory remarks  upon  the  character  of  the 
work  that  is  to  be  done,  the  workers  are  asked 
to  come  forward.  They  stand  before  the  altar 
and  the  pastor  gives  them  their  commission,  so 
to  speak,  exalts  their  work,  and  in  their  name  and 
his  own  bespeaks  for  them  and  the  work  the 
hearty  sympathetic  co-operation  of  all.  He  gives 
to  each  the  hand  of  fellowship.  The  superin- 
tendent of  the  school  makes  a  few  remarks  about 
the  school,  and  his  hopes  for  its  future  growth. 


How  to  Organize  a  Home  Department      33 

now  that  so  many  new  helpers  are  coming  into 
the  field,  and  on  behalf  of  the  school  extends  to 
each  the  right  hand  of  fellowship.  The  congre- 
gation is  asked  to  rise  while  the  prayer  of  con- 
secration is  offered  by  the  pastor,  closing  with 
the  benediction.  The  service  is  not  designed  to 
be  spectacular,  but  solemn,  impressive,  and  help- 
ful. By  this  means  the  members  of  the  congre- 
gation know  who  the  workers  are ;  they  know 
that  the  church  and  school  heartily  sanction  the 
work ;  they  are  thus  made  to  ''  think  on  these 
things,"  and  are  prepared  for  what  is  to  follow, 
namely, 

(6)  Ingather. — ^The  last  step  in  the  organ- 
ization is  the  securing  of  members.  (See  chap- 
ter III.)  The  logical  order  of  canvass  is  (a) 
church  members;  (b)  famihes  represented  by 
pupils  in  the  Sunday-school;  (c)  a  house-to- 
house  canvass  by  districts;  (d)  canvass  of  insti- 
tutions ;  (e)  correspondence  canvass  for  all 
absentees. 


CHAPTER  VII 

SUPPLIES,    AND    HOW    TO    USE   THEM 

The  best  system  is  the  most  simple.  There 
need  be  no  intricate  system  of  bookkeeping  or 
multiplication  of  requisites  in  Home  Department 
work.  A  full  complement  of  supplies  can  be 
obtained  from  any  denominational  publishing 
house.  It  is  absolutely  necessary  to  have  the 
supplies  mentioned  in  starting  a  Home  Depart- 
ment. Experience  teaches  that  the  majority  of 
schools  purchase  on  the  basis  of  supplies  for 
twenty-five  members  for  a  beginning,  but  almost 
invariably  have  to  double  their  order  before  the 
close  of  the  first  quarter. 

One  superintendent's  record-book. 
Twelve  Visitors'  class  reports. 

Twelve  Visitors'   canvas   blanks.      (These  may  be 
home-made  if  preferred.) 
Fifty  application  cards. 
Fifty  report  and  collection  envelopes. 
Fifty  descriptive  leaflets. 
Fifty  quarterlies  or  lesson  helps. 

Many  Departments  use  in  addition  a  member- 
ship certificate.    The  certificates  that  have  places 
for  the  signature  of  the  pastor,  Sunday-school 
34 


Supplies y  and  How  to  Use  Them  3  5 

and  Home  Department  superintendents,  are 
often  highly  prized.  The  Messenger  certificates 
and  cards  of  introduction  and  badges  can  also  be 
obtained.  Some  publishing  houses  have  report 
cards  and  collection  envelopes.  For  the  average 
Department,  however,  it  is  wiser  to  combine  the 
two  in  the  report  and  collection  envelope.  The 
letters  of  invitation  and  explanation  are  invalu- 
able when  using  the  plan  of  reaching  the  families 
through  the  pupils.  There  are  other  supplies 
issued,  but  they  are  of  secondary  importance. 
Several  state  Sunday-school  associations  issue 
requisites  of  their  own,  fitted  for  their  own  fields, 
but  adapted  to  any.  New  Jersey  and  Ohio  lead 
in  the  publication  of  literature  and  supplies  along 
Home  Department  lines. 

It  will  greatly  expedite  the  quarterly  work  of 
distributing  the  lesson  helps,  if  they  are  ordered 
sent  direct  to  the  Home  Department  superinten- 
dent. The  superintendent  writes  the  name  and 
address  of  each  member  on  the  quarterly  and 
envelope,  and  by  using  a  tiny  sticker  makes  it 
impossible  for  the  envelope  to  be  lost.  Separate 
the  quarterlies  thus  prepared  and  send  to  each 
Visitor,  and  with  each  the  Visitor's  report  rec- 
ord. The  Visitor  receives  the  last  quarter's  en- 
velope when  she  gives  the  new  quarterly.  When 
all  have  been  received  she  transfers  the  record  of 
study  and  offering  from  the  envelopes  to  her 


36  TJie  Home  DeparUite^it  of  To-day 

report  record,  and  sends  the  record  and  money 
directly  to  the  superintendent.  The  superin- 
tendent transfers  the  Visitor's  report  to  her  own 
book  and  when  all  are  in,  writes  her  quarterly 
report.  The  superintendent  keeps  the  Visitor's 
class  records  until  tirne  to  send  out  the  next 
quarter's  lesson  helps.  Some  Visitors  prefer  to 
keep  a  book  of  their  own,  and  Visitors'  class 
books,  as  well  as  class  records,  are  obtainable. 

Lesson  Helps. — It  is  now  possible  to  secure  a 
Home  Department  quarterly  from  any  of  our 
large  denominational  and  interdenominational 
publishing  houses.  These  are  all  good,  but  some- 
times they  are  not  the  best  for  our  Home  Depart- 
ment. If  many  members  are  at  a  distance  from 
the  church — and  we  often  find  whole  families  who, 
because  of  distance,  belong  to  the  Home  Depart- 
ment— one  subscription  to  The  Sunday-school 
Times  furnishes  each  grade  in  that  family  class 
with  the  lesson  specially  prepared  for  them.  The 
World  Evangel  does  the  same.  In  addition  to 
the  lesson  helps,  the  news  of  the  Sunday-school 
world  is  found  in  these  two  publications.  Then 
there  are  those  who  are  desirous  of  further  re- 
search than  our  quarterlies  give  us,  and  to  them  a 
teachers'  monthly  is  more  helpful.  Some  mem- 
bers are  almost  strangers  to  the  study  habit  and 
require  very  simple  helps ;  the  Junior  quarterly 
and  Junior  teachers'  magazine  are  often  the  best 


Supplies^  and  Hoiv  to  Use  Them  37 

help  that  we  can  give  to  such.  It  is  not  necessary 
that  the  same  grade  of  helps  be  used  throughout 
the  department,  but  it  is  desirable  that  all  study 
the  same  lesson.  If  the  main  school  is  studying 
some  other  system  than  the  International,  unless 
the  department  prefers  otherwise,  better  work 
can  be  accomplished  by  giving  the  International 
system  to  the  Home  Department,  because  of  the 
multiplicity  of  helps  on  this  system. 

Application  cards. — Do  not  insist  on  the  mem- 
bers signing  the  lesson  study  pledge ;  it  is  a  good 
thing  to  get  the  signature,  but  if  one  is,  as  many 
are,  unwilHng  to  "  sign  themselves "  to  any 
pledge  and  are  willing  to  give  their  verbal  prom- 
ise, take  them  as  members. 

Report  envelopes. — One  of  the  chief  means  of 
determining  the  character  of  our  work  is  by  the 
report  of  lesson  study  as  marked  on  the  record 
envelope.  We  are  glad  of  the  free  will  ofifering 
in  the  envelope,  but  that  is  of  secondary  im- 
portance to  the  record  of  lesson  study.  If  the 
Visitor  finds  that  the  lesson  study  is  not  marked, 
let  her  explain  that  the  superintendent  has  to 
give  a  report  of  the  department  to  the  school 
each  quarter.  Each  lesson  studied  counts  just 
the  same  as  the  attendance  of  the  pupils  in  the 
main  school,  hence  the  superintendent  must  have 
the  study  record,  or  give  in  an  incomplete  report. 
The  Visitor  can  mark  the  envelope  for  the  mem- 


38  The  Home  Department  of  To-day 

ber  after  learning  how  many  lessons  have  been 
studied.  In  case  the  envelope  has  become  mis- 
laid, it  is  always  wise  for  the  Visitor  to  have  an 
extra  envelope  with  her. 

Library  books. — Many  Sunday-schools  have 
fine  libraries  which  the  Home  Department  mem- 
bers would  greatly  enjoy.  By  using  the  double 
card  system  and  a  good  corps  of  messengers,  the 
members  can  enjoy  all  library  privileges. 

Badges. — An  attractive  pin  button  badge  may 
be  used  for  the  Home  Department  members. 
These  badges  are  procured  of  the  publishing 
houses.  It  is  seldom  worn  except  at  receptions, 
or  socials,  or  on  special  days  when  each  depart- 
ment is  thus  designated. 


CHAPTER  VIII 

HOME   DEPARTMENT   CLASSES 

Just  as  the  departments  in  the  main  school  are 
subdivided  into  classes,  so  the  Home  Depart- 
ment is  subdivided  into  groups,  which  correspond 
with  the  classes  in  the  main  school.  The  word 
"class"  implies  a  teacher;  the  word  "group" 
implies  a  leader ;  and  as  the  latter  is  true  to  the 
nature  of  the  Home  Department  work,  the  ter- 
minology, though  new,  might  well  be  used.  But 
inasmuch  as  the  word  "  class  "  is  used  by  all  the 
publishers  of  our  supphes,  and  we  are  accustomed 
to  its  usage,  the  word  "  class  "  will  be  adhered 
to.  Care  should  be  taken  not  to  confound  the 
Home  Department  class  with  the  home  class 
work  which  is  found  to  be  so  successful  in  many 
places. 

There  are  five  kinds  of  classes  in  the  Home 
Department : 

I.  Thej  IndividuaIv  Class,  where  the  class 
is  composed  of  one  in  a  family  who  belongs  to 
the  Home  Department.  The  average  Visitor  can 
care  for  seven  such  in  her  class. 

In  the  B.  household  every  one  but  Grandma 
belonged  to  the  Sunday-school,  and  she  did  want 

39 


40  The  Home  Department  of  To-day 

to  so  much.  When  the  school  inaugurated  the 
Home  Department,  Grandma  joined,  and  when 
the  rest  of  the  family  were  at  church  and  school, 
Grandma  had  her  Sunday-school  all  by  herself. 
She  had  the  order  of  service  and  she  knew  the 
lesson,  but  she  made  believe  recite  it  to  an  im- 
aginary teacher.  She  sang  the  hymns  that  went 
with  the  lesson,  and  if  she  did  sing  off  the  key 
there  was  no  one  to  criticise.  She  knew  that 
there  were  six  others  who  were  visited  by  the 
same  delightful  lady  that  called  on  her  and  that 
together  they  were  a  real  class.  If  she  was  espe- 
cially impressed  with  some  point  in  the  lesson 
she  would  write  about  it  to  ,Mrs.  G.  who  be- 
longed to  her  class.  Every  week  she  would  write 
to  some  member  and  receive  at  least  one  letter 
herself.  Of  course  she  was  a  "shut-in,"  but  she 
was  not  "counted  out"  because  of  that,  and  that 
means  much  to  such  people. 

2.  Th^  Family  Class,  where  two  or  more 
members  of  the  family  belong  to  the  Department 
and  study  the  lesson  together. 

Mr.  G.  was  an  engineer  on  the  railroad.  He 
got  home  about  noon  each  Sunday.  He  belonged 
to  the  Home  Department,  and  so  did  his  wife. 
The  three-months-old  baby  belonged  to  the 
Cradle  Roll  and  the  two  boys  were  in  the  Sun- 
day-school. Mr.  G.  would  "wash  up"  and  eat  his 
lunch,  and  then,  with  his  wife,  would  study  the 
lesson  of  the  day  together  by  the  baby's  cradle. 
Often  after  the  lesson  had  been  talked  over, 
with  their  Bibles  on  their  knees,  they  would  talk 
of  the  children  and  their  hopes  for  them.     He  al- 


Home  Department  Classes  41 

ways  waited  until  the  lads  came  home  from  the 
school  to  greet  them  and  hear  of  the  teachings 
they  had  received,  and  then  went  to  bed  for  his 
hard-earned  rest. 

3.  The  Ne:ighborhood  Class,  where  several 
families  in  the  neighborhood  belong  to  the  De- 
partment and  come  together  for  their  lesson 
study.  Neighborhood  classes  are  greatly  liked 
in  the  country  districts. 

There  were  eight  members  of  the  Department 
living  within  a  block  of  each  other.  None  of  them 
seemed  to  have  a  great  interest  in  the  work. 
They  were  all  old  ladies  and  all  had  grandchil- 
dren. The  Visitor  asked  them  all  to  meet  her 
at  her  home,  which  was  within  the  block  and 
they  had  a  social  hour  together.  She  broached 
the  plan  of  their  meeting  round  at  one  another's 
homes  each  week  to  study  the  lesson  together 
and  to  talk  over  various  items  of  interest  that 
would  be  common.  They  were  delighted  with 
the  plan  and  at  once  put  it  into  operation.  The 
neighborhood  class  was  a  success.  They  enjoyed 
it  so  much  that  others  in  that  neighborhood 
who  could  not  attend  the  sessions  of  the  school 
asked  to  come  in,  and  in  five  months  the  class 
grew  to  twenty-five.  One  afternoon  a  week  they 
meet  for  social  fellowship  and  at  the  Sunday- 
school  hour  on  Sunday  they  meet  for  their  Bible 
study.  Once  in  a  while  they  have  the  pleasure 
of  a  visit  from  the  Sunshine  Band,  and  they  be- 
lieve that  no  class  is  more  favored  than  their 
neighborhood  class. 


42  The  Home  Department  of  To-day 

4.  Th^  Corre:spondence^  Class  is  composed 
of  those  who  are  non-resident  and  absent  mem- 
bers ;  letters  take  the  place  of  calls  and  reports, 
and  supplies  are  sent  by  mail. 

Jack  B,  had  always  belonged  to  the  Sunday- 
school  and  was  a  good  boy,  although  he  had 
never  made  any  public  confession  of  his  re- 
ligion. When  he  joined  the  army  and  was  sent 
to  the  Philippines,  many  said  that  he  was  leaving 
behind  all  the  good  influences  and  would  surely 
come  to  ruin  in  that  country.  But  the  superin- 
tendent got  Jack  to  join  the  Home  Department, 
and  when  he  went  away  his  Bible  and  quarterly 
went  with  him.  Every  month  the  correspond- 
ence Visitor  wrote  him  a  long  chatty  letter  about 
the  boys  and  girls  at  the  church  and  the  news  of 
home.  After  Jack  had  been  away  six  months  he 
wrote  home:  "I  am  glad  that  I  have  had  some- 
thing to  help  me  keep  straight.  Many  of  the  fel- 
lows here  were  decent  enough  chaps  at  home,  but 
down  here  they  do  not  seem  to  think  that  it  mat- 
ters whether  they  are  clean  or  not.  I  might  be 
tempted  myself — one  gets  so  homesick,  and  really 
desperate,  at  times;  but  the  knowledge  that  the 
folks  at  home  and  especially  the  people  at  church 
have  faith  in  me,  and  trust  me,  and  then,  the 
study  of  the  Book  that  always  helps  one,  have 
kept  me  straight  so  far  and  I  know  that  it  will 
continue  to  do  so,  if  I  am  faithful." 

Grace  S.  was  going  abroad  to  study  music. 
She  was  full  of  ambition  and  her  mother  had 
fears  that  she  would  let  her  ambition  crowd  out 
all  the  higher  traits  of  her   character.     One   of 


Home  Department  Classes  43 

Grace's  intimate  friends  was  the  correspondence 
Visitor  and  she  got  Grace  to  join  the  correspond- 
ence class  of  the  Home  Department.  She  asked 
Grace  to  keep  a  journal  and  write  a  little  every 
Sunday  for  the  beneht  of  the  members  who 
would  never  see  Germany.  The  letters  began 
to  come,  and  letters  were  sent,  and  in  a  letter 
that  Grace  wrote  to  her  mother  she  said:  "I 
never  realized  what  a  helpful  thing  it  was  to  be, 
to  me,  to  be  a  member  of  the  Home  Department. 
Sunday  is  something  of  a  gala  day  in  our  little 
club,  and  sometimes  things  are  done  that  I  know 
would  not  meet  with  your  approval,  but  I  have 
asked  to  be  excused  from  the  Sunday  dinners 
and  fetes  that  are  so  common  to  the  students 
here,  and  I  really  think  that  I  enjoy  writing  out 
the  things  that  are  worth  while,  for  the  dear 
ones  at  home,  much  more  than  for  the  'good 
times'  of  my  friends." 

5.  The?  Schooi.  Class.  There  are  many 
members  of  the  Home  Department  who  can  occa- 
sionally attend  the  sessions  of  the  school.  For 
such  it  is  fitting  that  some  special  place  be  re- 
served, and  a  regular  teacher  provided. 

In  one  school  a  small  room  was  set  apart  for 
this  class,  and  a  vase  of  flowers  always  breathed 
a  welcome  to  the  members.  The  teacher  always 
used  the  lecture  method,  giving  time  for  the 
members  of  the  class  to  question  him  at  the 
close.  This  became  one  of  the  most  popular 
classes  of  the  school.  Every  member  of  the 
Home   Department   that    could,   found    her   way 


44  The  Home  Depart7nent  of  To-day 

to  the  school  Home  Department  class  as  often 
as  possible.  Husbands  accompanied  their  wives 
and  thus  became  interested  in  the  school.  A 
school  Home  Department  class  is  rather  para- 
doxical, but  it  is  practicable. 


CHAPTER  IX 

visitors'  meetings 

The  Need — An  interchange  of  experience  is  al- 
ways helpful.  One  Visitor  meets  a  problem  that 
another  Visitor  has  solved.  The  superintendent 
has  certain  definite  things  that  he  would  like  to 
have  done.  He  must  call  his  Visitors  together. 
The  pastor  has  some  special  work  that  he  would 
like  to  have  the  Visitors  do.  That  all  these  needs 
and  many  others  may  be  met,  every  Department 
should  hold  quarterly  meetings  of  the  superinten- 
dent and  Visitors,  and,  of  course,  the  pastor  and 
general  superintendent  of  the  Sunday-school  will 
meet  with  them  as  ex  officio  members. 

Place  and  time — The  place  can  be  best  decided 
by  local  conditions.  In  the  city  church  the  meet- 
ings are  often  held  in  the  small  hall  or  ladies' 
parlor  of  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.,  as  it  is  always  suffi- 
ciently comfortable  in  winter,  when  it  would 
mean  an  added  expense  to  the  church  to  start  a 
fire  for  just  an  afternoon.  The  meetings  may  be 
held  in  the  church  parlor,  the  homes  of  the  work- 
ers, or  at  the  parsonage.  One  is  sure  of  a  full 
attendance  if  the  summer  and  fall  meetings  can 
combine  business  and  pleasure  in  the  way  of  an 

45 


46  The  Home  Department  of  To-day 

outing.  The  time  should  be  definitely  stated, 
such  a  day  of  the  week  of  the  quarter.  Many 
Departments  prefer  to  hold  their  quarterly  meet- 
ings during  next  to  the  last  week  of  the  quar- 
ter, when  the  superintendent  may  give  them 
their  supplies.  Other  Departments  prefer  to  hold 
their  meetings  the  second  week  of  the  quarter, 
when  they  can  hand  their  reports  to  the  super- 
intendent. 

One  of  the  Visitors  should  be  appointed  secre- 
tary, to  act  during  these  meetings  and  to  send 
postal  reminders  of  date  and  place  if  there  is  no 
regular  Department  secretary.  Some  Depart- 
ments hold  their  quarterly  meetings  at  the  close 
of  the  mid-week  prayer  service,  others  at  the 
close  of  the  session  of  the  school.  At  the  best, 
these  meetings  must  be  hurried,  and  the  work 
hastily  reviewed ;  hence  this  time  and  place  is 
not  recommended  for  the  best  results. 

Suggestive  Program — (a)  Devotional  service 
led  by  the  superintendent  or  pastor;  (b)  minutes 
of  the  last  meeting,  by  the  secretary ;  (c)  reports 
from  each  Visitor;  (d)  open  parliament  for  all; 

(e)  suggestions  and  advice  by  superintendent; 

(f)  talk  by  the  pastor  and  superintendent.  If  the 
Messenger  Service  or  the  Sunshine  Band  is 
used  to  aid  the  Home  Department  work,  reports 
should  be  received  from  the  leaders  of  these  two 
auxiliary  helps,  and  suggestions  for  service  given 


Visitors'  ATeetings  47 

them.  A  simple  afternoon  tea  may  be  served. 
This  is  not  at  all  essential,  but  it  always  promotes 
sociability  and  good  comradeship  between  the 
workers. 

A  Suggestion — In  a  town  where  there  were 
four  churches  there  was  but  one  Home  Depart- 
ment, and  that  one  was  not  at  all  progressive. 
The  workers  did  not  fully  realize  their  responsi- 
bility or  opportunity,  and  there  was  an  absolute 
absence  of  all  enthusiasm.  The  superintendent 
invited  her  Visitors,  the  pastor,  and  the  officers 
and  teachers  of  the  school,  and  the  pastor  and 
superintendents  of  the  other  three  schools,  with 
their  wives,  to  a  basket  picnic  at  the  near-by  lake. 
The  invitations  were  very  generally  accepted. 
The  superintendent  of  a  wide-awake  earnest  De- 
partment in  another  city  was  asked  to  join  the 
party  and  tell  of  the  work  being  done  in  her  De- 
partment, with  a  view  of  stimulating  an  interest 
in  the  work  on  the  part  of  all.  If  the  Visitors  are 
not  so  keenly  alive  to  the  responsibilities  of  the 
work  as  might  be  desired,  an  address  by  some 
worker  from  outside  is  often  just  the  needed 
stimulus.  This  proved  true  in  the  case  just  cited. 
The  work  was  made  known  to  the  three  pastors, 
and  they  were  delighted  with  the  account  of  the 
work  being  done  in  the  neighboring  city,  and 
were  anxious  to  see  If  the  same  results  might 
not  be  had  in  their  own  churches.    The  superin- 


48  The  Home  Departine^it  of  To-day 

tendents  saw  possibilities  of  greatly  increasing 
the  membership  and  strengthening  the  work  of 
their  schools,  and  the  Home  Department  workers 
saw  how  far  short  they  had  come  of  realizing 
the  opportunities  that  were  constantly  before 
them,  and  pledged  themselves  to  more  earnest 
work. 


CHAPTER  X 

THE    MESSENGER   SERVICE 

The  Messenger  Service  is  an  organization  of 
boys  between  ten  and  sixteen  years  of  age,  who 
volunteer  to  serve  the  church  and  school  in  any 
and  all  possible  ways,  and  pledge  themselves  to 
the  faithful  performance  of  their  duties. 

The  question  has  arisen  in  the  minds  of  some 
as  to  the  difference  between  the  Messenger  Serv- 
ice and  the  Messenger  Department.  The  work 
has  been  deemed  by  some  schools  to  be  of  such 
worth  that  it  has  been  incorporated  as  a  regular 
department  of  the  school,  with  a  superintendent 
to  care  for  it.  A  few  state  Sunday-school  associa- 
tions have  done  the  same  thing,  and,  in  place  of  a 
service,  it  has  become  a  distinct  department  of 
the  state  association.  The  nature  of  the  work 
is  essentially  the  same.  The  Departments  de- 
mand more  complete  organization  than  the  simple 
service.  The  idea  is  prevalent  that  the  Messen- 
ger Service  belongs  solely  to  the  Home  Depart- 
ment, and  the  Messenger  Department  to  the 
entire  school.  This  is  erroneous.  The  Messen- 
ger Service  came  into  existence  primarily  to 
serve  the  members  of  the  Home  Department,  but 

49 


50  The  Home  Department  of  To-day 

in  three  weeks  from  its  organization  the  Mes- 
sengers were  distributing  invitation  cards  for  the 
pastor  throughout  the  city  and  aiding  various 
Sunday-school  committees ;  the  Home  Depart- 
ment has  never  tried  to  monopoHze  the  service. 
Because  of  the  value  of  the  service  to  the  Home 
Department,  and  because  of  the  lack  of  leader- 
ship so  often  found  in  our  churches,  the  Home 
Department  workers  have  been  more  largely  in- 
strumental in  organizing  and  caring  for  the  Mes- 
senger Service  than  any  other  agency  in  the 
school. 

The  first  organized  Messenger  Service  was 
organized  in  the  First  Baptist  Church,  Fitch- 
burg,  Massachusetts,  in  February,  1899,  to  meet 
a  fourfold  need :  to  bring  the  members  of  the 
Home  Department  into  weekly  touch  with  the 
church  and  school ;  to  make  the  boys  feel  a 
sense  of  responsibility  for  the  work  of  the  Sun- 
day-school ;  to  train  the  boys  in  Christian  work ; 
to  teach  them  to  be  continually  on  the  watch  for 
opportunities  to  serve  the  King. 

Requirements — To  be  a  Sunday-school  Messen- 
ger one  must  be : 

(a)  A  member  in  good  and  regular  standing 
of  the  Sunday-school. 

(b)  Clean  in  speech  and  action ;  he  must 
never  use  obscene  or  profane  language;  he  must 
not  be  mean  or  do  mean  things. 


The  Messenger  Service  5 1 

(c)  Punctual  and  regular  in  attendance  upon 
all  the  Messenger  meetings. 

(d)  Temperate  :  He  must  never  use  tobacco 
or  alcoholic  liquors.  One  boy  greatly  desired  to 
become  a  Sunday-school  Messenger.  His  chum 
was  one,  and  he  wanted  to  do  everything  that 
his  chum  did.  He  smoked  cigarettes  and  his  peti- 
tion was  refused,  and  the  reason  given  him. 
"  Can't  I  never  be  a  Messenger,  'less  I  quit  cigar- 
ettes ?  "  "  No,  my  boy,  our  boys  are  working 
for  a  King  who  hates  all  filthiness  and  unclean- 
ness.  His  Messengers  have  to  be  clean  and 
temperate  in  all  things."  "  If  I  leave  off  smok- 
ing, will  you  take  me  ?  "  "  Yes,  if  you  are  will- 
ing to  prove  to  us  that  you  truly  mean  to  leave 
off,  and  do."  He  promised,  and  was  put  on  three 
weeks'  probation.  He  nobly  kept  his  word,  was 
accepted  as  a  Messenger,  and  not  only  was  his 
work  a  delight  to  himself  and  a  source  of  help 
and  joy  to  the  school,  but  to  the  boy's  family. 
In  a  note  that  the  boy's  father  wrote  to  us  was 
the  following  sentence :  "  You  are  helping  to 
make  a  fine  man  of  Jack,  and  I  have  given  up 
my  cigars  to  make  it  easier  for  him  and  to  help 
him  along."  Many  times  we  have  proved  that 
honest  effort  to  strengthen  and  build  the  boy's 
character  has  often  reached  farther  than  just  to 
the  boy  himself. 

The    Messenger    must    do     (a)     all    service 


5  2  The  Home  Department  of  To-day 

promptly;  (b)  all  service  cheerfully;  (c)  make 
complete  reports  at  the  stated  times;  (d)  must 
wear  his  badge  only  when  on  duty  (e)  must  at 
all  times  conduct  himself  as  a  King's  Messenger. 

The  service  is  entirely  volunteer;  no  boy  is 
ever  drafted.  After  he  volunteers,  if  he  is  will- 
ing to  promise  to  do  his  best  to  live  up  to  the 
requirements,  the  appointment  of  the  Messenger 
is  ratified  by  the  school  upon  the  recommendation 
of  the  official  board.  He  is  given  a  certificate  of 
his  appointment  and  his  badge  of  service.  These 
certificates  and  badges  are  issued  by  several  Sun- 
day-school publishing  houses.  Many  schools 
prefer  to  more  fully  localize  their  work,  and  so 
issue  their  own  certificates  and  badges.  When  a 
state  association  incorporates  a  Messenger  De- 
partment it  issues  its  own  certificates,  badges, 
rules,  constitutions,  etc.  Indiana  and  Colorado 
have  a  fine  line  of  Messenger  requisites,  samples 
of  which  may  be  obtained  from  the  state  Sunday- 
school  headquarters  in  Indianapolis,  Indiana,  and 
Denver,  Colorado. 

To  dignify  the  work  and  help  the  workers,  a 
simple  installation  service  for  the  Messengers  is 
often  used.  This  usually  takes  place  at  the  close 
of  the  school  session,  before  the  entire  school. 
The  boys  are  called  to  the  platform  and  the  super- 
intendent of  the  school  explains  the  nature  of 
their  work,  tells  them  of  his  plans  and  hopes 


TJie  Messenger  Service  53 

for  the  school,  and  his  pleasure  in  their  willing- 
ness and  ability  to  help  him.  He  gives  each  boy 
a  hearty  handshake  and  his  certificate  of  appoint- 
ment. The  pastor  then  speaks  for  the  church 
and  for  the  King  whose  Messengers  they  are, 
and  places  on  each  boy's  coat  the  badge  of  serv- 
ice. The  school  is  asked  to  rise  and  stand  with 
the  Messengers  during  the  prayer  of  consecra- 
tion, which  is  brought  to  a  close  with  the  benedic- 
tion. 

Work  for  the  Home  Department. — The  Messen- 
ger may  carry  the  church  calendar,  Sunday- 
school  paper,  library  book  and  other  literature  to 
the  members  of  the  Home  Department  each  Sun- 
day afternoon.  In  many  schools  the  Home  De- 
partment superintendent  uses  the  time  of  the 
school  session  to  prepare  these  weekly  supplies 
for  the  Messengers.  When  the  five  minutes' 
warning  bell  sounds  she  takes  each  boy's  bundle 
to  him  as  he  sits  in  his  class.  In  the  First  Meth- 
odist Church,  Chelsea,  Massachusetts,  the  Mes- 
sengers contrived  a  "  more  excellent  way."  They 
built  a  post-office,  a  frame  divided  into  large 
square  compartments.  Each  compartment  was 
numbered ;  each  Messenger  had  a  correspond- 
ing number.  Promptly  at  ten  o'clock  each 
Sunday  morning  the  boys  go  to  the  library, 
where  their  supplies  are  awaiting  them  ;  they  sort 
them  out,  place  them  in  the  boxes,  and  at  ten- 


54  The  Home  Department  of  To-day 

thirty  are  ready  to  march  into  the  church  to  at- 
tend the  morning  preaching  service.  At  the 
close  of  the  session  each  boy  takes  the  contents 
of  his  box  and,  before  night,  all  are  delivered. 

The  boys  get  well  acquainted  w^ith  their 
**  Home  Department  members,"  and  often  serve 
them  during  the  week  as  errand  boys.  They 
never  refuse  any  commission,  even  though  it  be 
extremely  distasteful,  for  they  are  working  for 
One  who  ''  pleased  not  himself."  A  boy,  with  a 
look  of  grim  determination  on  his  face,  was  seen 
running  along  the  street  one  morning.  His 
badge  was  in  evidence,  so  the  superintendent  felt 
at  liberty  to  stop  and  question  him.  "  Oh,  I'm 
going  to  try  to  find  a  washerwoman  for  Miss  B. 
She  is  the  fussiest  old  maid  that  ever  lived  ! 
I've  been  trying  for  three  weeks  to  find  one  that 
will  suit,  and  I  hope  to  goodness  that  the  one  that 
I  am  now  on  the  track  of  will  be  the  right  one." 
When  the  superintendent,  just  to  try  him,  sug- 
gested that  he  should  let  such  work  go  to  some- 
one else,  he  said,  ''  Well,  she  is  the  only  fussy 
one  I  have  on  my  list,  and  I  guess  that  perhaps 
she  cannot  help  being  that  way,  and  besides,  I 
ain't  doing  it  just  to  please  her,  you  know." 

They  are  valuable  helpers  in  the  social  work  of 
the  Home  Department.  In  one  church  they  as- 
sisted as  ushers,  waiters  and  pages  at  the  fall 
Home  Department  social.     In  the  spring  they 


The  Messenger  Service  55 

begged  the  privilege  of  "giving  the  social  all 
themselves."  No  officer  of  the  Home  Depart- 
ment was  allowed  to  have  anything  to  do  with 
the  work;  they  were  simply  to  furnish  a  list 
of  the  members  and  workers,  and  the  date  and 
place  of  the  social.  They  consented  to  allow  the 
father  of  one  of  the  boys  to  act  as  counsellor,  but 
they  managed  everything,  soliciting  the  use  of 
carriages,  the  food,  and  the  program  participants. 
The  social  was  a  great  success.  The  boys  were 
everywhere.  Never  were  pudding  sticks  more 
active.  The  program  was  unique,  the  actors  all 
boys.  It  was  very  musical;  a  little  Italian  boy 
played  the  accordion,  and  his  classical  selection 
was  "  Dolly  Gray."  A  little  son  of  Africa  played 
the  banjo,  and  his  selection  was  "  Dolly  Gray." 
The  frail  little  English  lad  played  very  sweetly 
on  his  violin,  and  his  selection  was  "Dolly 
Gray."  It  was  almost  too  much  for  the  audience, 
but  they  enjoyed  it  hugely,  and  throughout  the 
evening  were  well  entertained.  The  refreshments 
were  served  in  style.  This  stage  whisper  indi- 
cated the  masculine  thoughtfulness  :  "  Don't  put 
out  any  more  sandwiches,  theyVe  eaten  all  that's 
good  for  them,  and  there  won't  be  any  left  for 
us."  Of  all  the  socials  given  in  that  church, 
none  was  more  enjoyed  than  "  The  Home  De- 
partment Social  given  by  our  Messenger  Serv- 
ice. 


56  The  Home  Department  of  To-day 

"  But  our  church  is  so  poor  and  small ;  we  have 
no  church  calendar,  but  we  have  a  Home  Depart- 
ment and  we  have  the  boys  ;  we  would  like  to  give 
the  boys  some  definite  work  to  do ;  can  we  give 
them  this  weekly  work  to  do  in  our  present  con- 
dition ?  "  You  surely  can,  and  you  can  have  a 
calendar,  too,  that  will  be  worth  more  than  any 
printed  one.  Organize  your  Messenger  Service 
and  ask  the  boys  to  help  you  make  a  calendar,  as 
that  is  the  chief  thing  that  you  desire  to  send  to 
the  members  of  the  Home  Department.  It  is  that 
which  keeps  them  informed  of  all  the  meetings 
and  items  of  interest  in  the  church.  A  small 
hectograph  can  be  obtained  for  five  dollars,  and 
with  your  copying-ink  and  the  co-operation  of 
the  boys  and  the  pastor  you  can  easily  have  just 
the  kind  of  a  calendar  that  you  desire.  In  one 
church  the  boys  desired  to  buy  the  hectograph 
themselves,  and  so  denied  themselves  all  pleas- 
ures that  would  cost  and  in  a  few  weeks  had  the 
money.  They  waited  on  the  pastor  immediately 
at  the  close  of  the  morning  service,  and  received 
from  him  the  notices  of  the  week,  took  them  to 
their  class,  and  with  the  help  of  the  teacher  the 
copy  was  neatly  written  and  the  copies  made  in 
less  than  ten  minutes.  They  were  all  dry  and 
ready  for  distribution  among  the  Messengers 
at  the  close  of  the  session. 

Work  for  the  school — The  Messengers  are  most 


The  Messenger  Service  '57 

helpful  to  the  decorating,  library,  lookout,  and 
concert  committees  of  the  Sunday-school.  They 
delight  to  go  into  the  fields  and  woods  and  gather 
the  laurel,  daisies,  evergreen,  etc.,  for  the  decorat- 
ing committee ;  no  step-ladder  is  too  high  for 
them  to  climb,  any  number  of  yards  of  laurel  to 
be  wound  does  not  daunt  them ;  the  more  work 
of  this  kind  they  have  to  do,  the  better  pleased 
they  are.  They  are  always  willing  to  call  for 
that  long-absent  library  book,  when  the  librarian 
fails  to  secure  it  by  the  broadest  hints,  or  even 
plain  requests.  To  look  up  the  whereabouts  of 
that  boy  who  used  to  come  to  Sunday-school  and 
no  longer  comes,  and  to  find  out  the  reason,  is  a 
bit  of  detective  work  that  every  boy  loves  to  do. 
They  are  ready  to  do  anything  that  they  can  to 
make  the  concerts  a  success ;  some  draw  the  line 
at  singing,  for  which  we  are  grateful.  There  are 
but  few  boys  who  like  to  ''  speak  pieces  "  all 
alone,  and  at  this  age  they  ought  not  to  be  asked  ; 
but  a  number  of  boys  to  take  part  in  a  dialogue 
just  suits  them,  and  is  a  pleasant  change  to  the 
audience.  Good  dialogues,  suitable  for  junior 
grades,  can  be  secured  from  the  missionary  so- 
cieties. 

The  boys  aid  the  janitor  in  caring  for  the  build- 
ings and  grounds.  They  distribute  and  collect  the 
orders  of  service.  Bibles  and  hymn-books.  They 
act  as  ushers  for  the  mid-week  prayer  service  of 


58  The  Home  Department  of  To-day 

the  church  and  at  other  times  when  called  upon. 
They  call  at  the  parsonage  each  morning  ready 
to  execute  any  commission  given  by  the  pastor 
or  his  family.  In  one  town  in  Indiana  the  pastor 
has  a  peculiar  call  for  the  gathering  of  the  Mes- 
sengers, so  many  taps  of  the  church  bell.  In  an 
incredibly  short  time  the  boys  are  with  him 
ready  for  any  given  commission.  One  busy  pas- 
tor has  a  fine  garden.  "  How  do  you  find  the 
time  to  care  for  it,  with  all  the  work  that  you 
have  to  do  ?  "  The  pastor  said,  **  I  do  not  care 
for  it,  but  my  boys  do."  *'  Boys  !  you  have  no 
children,  have  you  ?  "  "  No,  none  of  my  own, 
but  my  Messengers  take  care  of  me  as  well  as 
my  own  children  could  do.  They  come  in  the 
spring  and  dig  and  plant  anything  that  I  say  I 
would  like.  They  come  and  weed  and  waten 
You  cannot  find  a  weed  in  that  garden.  You 
know  how  fine  my  peas,  beans  and  radishes  are. 
See  my  cucumbers,  tomatoes,  and  lettuce?  My 
corn  promises  to  be  extra  fine  this  year,  but  a 
little  late."  His  friend  could  not  quite  compre- 
hend, and  said,  "  But  do  the  boys  do  all  this  for 
nothing  ?  What  do  you  give  them  ?  "  The  pas- 
tor said :  ''  I  give  them  my  love  and  help  just  so 
far  as  I  know  how.  We  are  great  chums,  and 
they  come  to  me  very  freely.  I  would  not  offer 
them  money,  but  I  pay  them  by  loving,  trusting, 
and  working  them.    Every  summer  we  have  them 


The  Messenger  Service  59 

all  come  to  a  garden  dinner,  and  we  have  our 
usual  camping  time  for  a  week ;  but  the  boys  do 
not  do  their  work  with  any  thought  of  reward  in 
mind  other  than  the  knowledge  that  they  are 
helping  me."  Many  a  parsonage  lawn  is  cared 
for  by  the  Messengers,  the  walks  kept  free  from 
snow  and  ice  in  the  winter,  and  the  flowers  and 
shrubberies  carefully  tended.  It  is  all  a  labor  of 
love. 

The  Sunday-school  teachers  find  that  the  Mes- 
sengers are  of  great  service  in  helping  them  keep 
track  of  their  pupils.  Many  teachers  are  so  situ- 
ated that  they  cannot  call  on  their  pupils  in  their 
homes  just  when  they  would  like  to,  and  if  a  pupil 
is  absent  and  the  teacher  cannot  get  to  the  home 
to  ascertain  the  reason,  it  is  very  helpful  to  have 
a  boy  ready  and  willing  to  go  for  her.  In  the 
Washington  Street  Sunday-school  of  Toledo, 
Ohio,  of  which  Mr.  Marion  Lawrance,  the  gen- 
eral secretary  of  the  International  Sunday  School 
Association,  is  the  honored  superintendent,  a  pad 
of  telegraph  blanks  has  been  prepared  for  the 
Messengers'  use  in  thus  aiding  the  teacher  to 
keep  track  of  the  absentees.  So  helpful  has  it 
proved  that  we  pass  the  plan  on.  It  is  always 
better  for  the  school  to  print  their  own  blanks, 
but  where  this  is  not  feasible  the  blank  usually 
can  be  secured  from  the  denominational  pub- 
lishing houses. 


6o  The  Home  Department  of  To-day 

TO  THE  SUPERINTENDENT 


The  cause  of  my  absence  was  :. 


I  will  be  present  next  Sunday  if  possible. 
NAME 


U 

CO 

O 


o 
o 


a. 

0^ 


D 


•a 


ill    § 

^  ^  s  g'^ 

"^  "^  ^  X"^ 


'^  s»  >:i 


,s^ 


^  5  <i  ^>  <s 
S        <^   ^   ^ 

VJ    Ss^   >>»     >S»    '^ 


c/5  §  Q  ^  ^ 


c;^  ^^  1^ 


*5: 


Si 

.8 


^  ^^-i  V 


The  Messenger  Service  6 1 

If  there  is  no  one  at  home  when  the  message 
is  left  this  sHp  is  left. 

Form  2. 

MESSENGER  SERVICE  SLIP 

Dear  Friend: — 

As  a  Messenger,  I  called  at  your  house  to-day  with 
a  message,  which  I  leave,  as  I  am  unable  to  see  you. 
Will  you  kindly  fill  out  the  blanks  as  requested  and 
mail  to  our  Superintendent,  using  the  addressed  en- 
velope, or  if  you  prefer  me  to  call  again  for  it,  please 
let  me  know  and  oblige. 

Yours  for  the  Sunday  School, 

Messenger. 

No Street. 

If  each  teacher  had  a  pad  of  these  blanks  in 
her  class  all  that  she  would  have  to  do  would  be 
to  fill  in  the  name  of  the  school  and  sign  the 
name,  address  it  and  have  it  ready  to  hand  to  the 
Messenger,  who  makes  his  returns  to  the  teacher 
that  evening.  The  use  of  these  telegraph  forms 
provides  one  of  the  best  possible  ways  of  keeping 
a  high  average  attendance  in  the  Sunday-school. 
The  writer  was  in  a  home  one  Sunday  afternoon 
when  the  Messenger  called  with  the  telegram. 
"  But,"  said  the  mother,  ''  Ethel  went  to  Sunday- 
school  to-day,"  and  she  called  the  child  to  see 
what  the  difficulty  might  be.    *'  Yes,  mamma ;  but 


62  The  Home  Department  of  To-day 

I  did  not  go  to  our  Sunday-school ;  I  went  with 
Mary."  She  had  been  forbidden  to  attend 
Mary's  Sunday-school,  and  in  this  way  the  mis- 
demeanor was  found  out  by  the  mother,  when, 
otherwise,  it  might  not  have  been  discovered  until 
the  child  had  been  weaned  from  the  church  of 
her  parents. 

Organization — The  scope  and  character  of  the 
work  desired  to  be  done  will  determine  the  de- 
gree of  organization  necessary.  If  there  are 
other  organizations  in  the  school  for  boys,  boys' 
brigades,  knights  of  King  Arthur,  etc.,  a  very 
simple  organization  is  all  that  is  required.  A 
leader  and  a  few  committees  are  all  that  are  nec- 
essary. There  need  be  no  formal  constitution,  just 
the  requirements  and  duties  to  serve  as  by-laws 
which  the  Messengers  sign.  If  this  is  the  only 
organization  for  boys,  then  a  simple  constitution 
and  code  of  by-laws  may  be  formulated.  The 
leader  of  the  Messenger  Service  is  elected  by  the 
official  board  of  the  school.  He  has  full  charge 
of  the  Messenger  Service.  The  best  leader  is  a 
keen,  athletic,  spiritual  young  man.  In  some  in- 
stances the  physical  director  of  the  Y.  M.  C.  A. 
has  the  charge  of  the  Messenger  Service  of  his 
church.  These  men  are  ideal  leaders,  and  the 
same  characteristics  they  possess  are  found  in 
many  other  young  men ;  and  such  a  one  should 
be  the  leader  of  the  Messenger  Service. 


The  Messenger  Service  63 

Officers  and  committees — The  boys  may  elect 
their  own  officers, — a  president,  vice  president, 
secretary  and  treasurer,  and  committees.  Some 
prefer  to  follow  military  terminology  and  have 
captains,  lieutenants,  sergeants,  etc.  The  com- 
mittees vary  according  to  conditions.  Those  so 
far  suggested  are :  membership,  program,  meet- 
ings, visiting,  outing,  study,  school,  social,  ath- 
letic, and  financial. 

The  membership  committee  seeks  for  available 
members.  The  meetings  committee  arranges  for 
time  and  place  of  meetings  and  notifies  the  mem- 
bers of  the  same.  The  program  committee  ar- 
ranges the  program  for  all  meetings.  The  visit- 
ing committee  looks  after  the  sick.  The  outing 
committee  plans  for  picnics,  tramps,  camp- 
ing, etc.  The  study  committee  plans  the 
course  of  study  to  be  followed.  The  school 
committee  consists  of  all  the  members  of 
the  service,  one  of  their  number  serving 
as  chairman,  and  he  is  the  one  with  whom 
and  through  whom,  the  Home  Department  super- 
intendent plans  her  share  of  the  work  which  the 
members  are  to  do.  The  social  committee  ar- 
ranges for  all  the  meetings  of  a  social  character. 
The  athletic  committee  arranges  for  sports, 
games,  etc.  Many  a  good  base-ball  nine,  basket- 
ball team,  and  football  team  can  be  organized  in 
the  Messenger  Service.     The  financial  commit- 


64  Tlic  Home  Department  of  To-day 

tee  cares  for  all  the  moneys  of  the  service,  and 
plans  for  an  income  by  dues,  fines,  assessments, 
exhibitions,  entertainments,  or  by  any  way 
deemed  advisable  by  the  service. 

The  leader  is  a  member  cx-ofdcio  of  all  com- 
mittees ;  no  vote  can  be  passed  over  his  veto. 

Meetings — The  members  of  the  Messenger 
Service  come  together  once  in  two  weeks  for 
their  regular  meetings.  The  meetings  are  devo- 
tional, educational,  and  inspirational.  In  some 
places  it  is  found  to  be  wise  to  have  the  boys 
take  turns  in  leading  the  devotional  service ;  in 
ether  places  it  is  wiser  for  the  leader  to  take 
charge  of  this.  This  is  an  excellent  opportunity 
to  help  the  boys  spiritually,  but  the  greatest  of 
tact  must  be  used.  Be  careful  not  to  have  so 
much  tact,  however,  that  you  fail  to  have  con- 
tact. 

Reports  of  service  rendered  are  given  by  each 
Messenger  at  each  meeting,  and  a  careful  record 
of  the  same  kept  by  the  secretary.  Work  is 
planned  for  the  next  two  weeks,  and  then  the 
study  taken  up.  This  may  be  lessons  in  sloyd 
work  or  manual  training.  The  boys  may  be 
making  something  for  the  school  or  for  some  of 
the  people  whom  they  serve.  It  may  be  that 
some  lawyer  may  become  interested  in  the  boys 
and  teach  them  the  principles  of  government ; 
they  may  turn  their  meeting  into  a  **  town  meet- 


The  Messenger  Service  65 

ing,"  with  selectmen,  etc.,  debating  the  pertinent 
questions  of  the  day.  They  may  be  a  city  gov- 
ernment, with  mayor,  councilmen,  aldermen,  dis- 
cussing the  enfranchisement  of  that  electric  road, 
etc.  A  training  in  good  government  given  to 
boys  of  this  age  may  mean  much  to  the  com- 
munity in  the  future.  A  doctor  may  become  in- 
terested in  the  boys  and  teach  them,  many  things 
that  they  ought  to  know.  They  may  become 
proficient  in  their  knowledge  of  how  to  care  for 
the  injured.  One  messenger  service  in  Colorado 
has  thoroughly  mastered  a  manual  on  "  First 
Aid  to  the  Injured,"  and  in  a  trial  for  speed  and 
skill  succeeded  in  putting  on  a  triangular  band- 
age in  twenty-three  seconds,  which  is  an  enviable 
record.  The  studies  which  particularly  interest 
boys, — electricity,  engineering,  biology,  etc., — 
may  be  profitably  taken  up  in  the  Messenger 
meetings.  Every  boy  likes  to  travel,  and  tales 
of  adventure  hold  them  spellbound.  Secure  a 
copy  of  Stoddard's  lectures  and  go  "  round  the 
world  "  with  them.  When  the  time  is  ripe,  that 
is,  when  you  and  the  boys  are  thoroughly  well 
acquainted  with  each  other,  and  there  is  that 
spirit  of  good  fellowship  and  perfect  understand- 
ing so  essential  in  dealing  with  a  company  of 
boys,  some  course  of  Bible  study  may  be  taken 
up,  some  normal  course,  missionary  studies, 
church  history,  etc.    This  does  not  take  the  place 


(id  The  Home  Department  of  To-day 

of  the  devotional  service,  but  may  be  added  to 
it  when  the  right  time  comes. 

Warning — Some  Messenger  Services  have 
failed  because  of  unwise  leadership.  Some  good 
woman  with  a  love  for  service  and  no  knowledge 
of  boys  has  been  given  the  charge  of  the  Mes- 
senger Service  because  she  was  *'  willing  to  do 
what  she  could."  She  called  the  boys  "  Willie," 
and  **  Charlie,"  and  "  Dearie,"  and  no  boy  likes 
that  sort  of  thing.  She  really  loved  them,  but, 
they  thought  that  she  was  *'  soft."  She  was  not, 
but  she  did  not  know  boy  life  at  all.  Do  not  start 
a  Messenger  Service  until  you  have  a  leader 
who  knows  boys  first,  last,  and  always.  Don't 
ask  a  woman  to  take  charge  of  the  Messengers 
if  you  have  a  good  man  in  your  church.  If  you 
haven't  an  available  man,  try  that  young  fellow 
in  the  high  school,  or  college,  who  is  the  idol  of 
half  the  boys  of  the  community.  Do  not  have 
anything  feminine  about  the  Messenger  Service. 
Don't  put  undue  emphasis  on  ''  feeling  "  in  your 
evangelistic  work  with  the  boys,  but  make  them 
feel  that  it  is  "  action  "  that  counts.  One  boy 
said :  "  The  reason  I  like  Paul  so  much  is  be- 
cause what  he  did  was  so  much  greater  than 
anything  he  said."  Don't  be  too  lenient  with 
the  boys ;  don't  be  too  ready  to  condone  faults ; 
be  strictly  "  fair  "  and  you  will  never  fail  to  win 
the  love  and  respect  of  your  Messengers. 


The  Messenger  Service  67 

Many  Messenger  Services  have  for  their 
motto,  ''  We  serve  the  Mightiest,"  and  they  get 
their  inspiration  from  the  legend  of  St.  Christo- 
pher. In  all  the  work  for  and  with  the  boys  this 
is  the  thought  that  should  be  indelibly  impressed 
upon  their  hearts  and  minds ;  that  their  work  is 
for  The  Mightiest,  and  that  they  best  serve  Him 
when  they  are  serving  some  needy  one  here  "  in 
his  name  and  for  hig  sake." 


CHAPTER  XI 

THE   SUNSHINE    BAND 

The  Sunshine  Band  was  formed  that  an  inter- 
est in,  and  knowledge  of,  church  work  might  be 
given  our  young  girls.  It  is  an  organization  of 
girls  between  nine  and  fifteen  years  of  age  for 
the  purpose  of  building  them  up  in  church  work 
and  of  carrying  sunshine  into  dark  places ;  it  is 
designed  to  furnish  a  training-course  along  all 
lines  of  church  activity  common  to  the  women 
of  our  churches.  Any  girl  of  the  stated  age  is 
allowed  to  join  the  Band  who  is  a  member  of 
the  Sunday-school  and  who  will  promise  unques- 
tioning obedience  to  the  leader. 

The  leader  of  the  Sunshine  Band  is  appointed 
by  the  official  board  of  the  school  and  she  may 
be  allowed  to  add  such  additional  helpers  as  she 
may  need.  A  young  matron  who  loves  and  un- 
derstands girls  makes  the  best  leader.  One  who 
has  not  forgotten  how  she  felt  and  what  she 
liked  best  "  when  she  was  a  girl ;"  one  who  can 
enter  into  the  school,  home,  and  social  life  of 
the  girls  understandingly ;  a  woman  who  can  win 
and  never  betray  confidences ;  and,  above  all,  a 
woman  of  sterling,  spiritual  character,  who  shall 
68 


The  Su7ishine  Band  69 

not  be  satisfied  until  every  one  of  her  girls  is 
confessedly  *'  shining  for  Jesus,"  which  is  the 
motto  of  the  Sunshine  Band.  One  of  the  girls 
is  elected  secretary  and  treasurer,  and  committees 
are  appointed  by  the  leader. 

The  Visiting  Committee  will  call  on  the  sick  and 
carry  to  them  deHcacies  and  flowers.  They  call 
on  the  shut-ins,  in  the  hospitals  and  homes  for 
the  aged.  They  visit  in  any  home,  in  any  place 
where  they  can  bring  a  little  sunshine. 

The  Supply  Committee  looks  after  the  soliciting 
and  gathering  of  supplies  necessary  for  their 
work — fruit,  flowers,  jellies,  food,  groceries, 
clothing,  bed  linen,  household  necessities,  and 
literature. 

The  Work  Committee  plans  the  work,  cuts  out 
and  superintends  the  making  of  garments, 
the  making  of  comfort  bags,  bandages,  and  scrap 
books. 

The  Supper  Committee  plans  for  the  suppers  at 
the  close  of  the  meetings  and  does  the  work  of 
the  same ;  they  also  plan  for  special  suppers 
which  may  be  given  by  the  Band. 

The  Outlook  Committee  is  always  on  the  outlook 
for  opportunities  for  service.  They  find  this 
blind  man  and  notify  a  member  of  the  visiting 
committee,  who  arranges  to  go  at  a  certain  time 
every  week  and  read  to  him.  Here  is  a  poor 
woman  struggling  to  support  herself  and  her 


'JQ  The  Home  Department  of  To-day 

four  children.  She  can  never  go  to  church,  nor 
the  children  either,  with  any  degree  of  regularity. 
The  Supply  Committee  is  notified  of  the  case, 
and  they  find  here  an  opportunity  to  give  away 
some  of  the  garments  that  they  have  on  hand, 
and  they  can  lend  a  helping  hand  on  Saturday 
afternoon  and  help  get  the  children  ready  for 
church  the  next  day.  They  arrange  that  some- 
one shall  stay  and  care  for  the  baby  so  that  the 
mother  can  go  to  church  with  the  children.  A 
member  of  the  outlook  committee  escorts  the 
children  safely  home  after  the  Sunday-school  ses- 
sion, so  that  no  anxiety  need  be  felt  for  them  by 
the  mother. 

This  committee  may  know  a  girl  who  used 
to  go  to  Sunday-school  regularly,  but  she  has 
gotten  into  indifferent  company  and  has  begun 
to  drift.  She  does  not  seem  to  care  much  about 
church  or  Sunday-school  now,  and  the  girls  are 
not  the  same  to  her,  in  her  estimation,  as  they 
used  to  be.  They  seek  her  out,  get  her  to  come 
to  one  of  their  cheery  meetings,  tell  the  leader 
about  her,  and  the  girl  is  won  as  a  member,  and 
helped  to  be  true  to  her  best  self. 

Meetings — The  meetings  are  held  every  week. 
Experience  teaches  that  the  afternoon  of  the 
evening  of  the  mid-week  prayer-meeting  is  the 
best  time  for  the  meeting,  and  the  best  place, 
the  church  parlor.    The  meetings  usually  begin 


The  Smtshine  Band  71 

at  four  o'clock,  as  that  allows  time  for  the  mem- 
bers to  reach  the  church  after  school  closes.  A 
devotional  service  is  conducted  by  the  leader, 
and  may  be  formal  or  informal,  as  may  be  best. 
The  reports  of  the  various  committees  are  given 
and  plans  for  the  week's  work  outHned.  The 
work  committee  distributes  the  work  to  be  done, 
and  while  fingers  are  busy  with  the  needle  and 
thread,  shears,  or  paste,  the  president  of  the 
Woman's  Foreign  Missionary  Society  may  read 
interesting  bits  from  the  missionary  magazine. 
Then  the  foreign  missionary  interests  of  the 
church  are  discussed  and  thus  our  girls  get  their 
training  in  foreign  missionary  work.  The  same 
is  true  of  the  Home  Mission  work.  Then  at 
one  of  the  meetings  the  president  of  the  Dorcas 
or  sewing  or  charitable  society  may  come  in  and 
tell  of  the  need  of  the  church  along  this  line,  and 
tell  just  what  the  ladies  are  doing.  There  is  an 
outfit  needed  for  a  new  baby.  The  work  commit- 
tee guarantees  to  have  it  ready  in  due  season, 
and  the  supply  com.mittee  plans  for  the  ways 
and  means  to  get  the  materials.  Another  time 
the  Home  Department  superintendent  may  come 
in  and  tell  of  some  shut-ins  and  the  visiting  com- 
mittee takes  note  and  a  round  of  calls  is  ar- 
ranged that  shall  include  every  "  Sunshiner." 

The  pastor  may  come  in  and  perhaps  express 
the  wish  to  see  more  children  in  the  Sunday 


72  The  Home  Department  of  To-day 

morning  service.  The  outlook  committe  and  the 
visiting  committees  agree  to  see  what  they  can 
do  to  meet  his  wish.  And  so  it  may  continue  in- 
definitely, until  the  girls  are  familiar  with  every 
branch  of  church  work  and  they  know  how  to  do 
it  in  an  acceptable  way.  Supper  is  served  by 
the  supper  committee  at  six  o'clock ;  each  girl 
brings  her  own  supper,  but  it  is  all  put  on  the 
table  and  is  common  to  all.  This  is  the  free  time 
when  the  leader  should  be  alone  with  her  girls. 
There  is  good  cheer  and  happy  talk ;  school 
events  form  a  frequent  topic  of  conversation, 
and  the  sympathy  and  counsel  of  the  leader  is 
sought.  Some  home  difficulties  or  misunder- 
standings come  up,  and  experiences  are  inter- 
changed. All  try  to  help  each  other.  At  the 
close  of  the  meal  the  leader  prays ;  all  the  joys 
and  trials  are  remembered  and  the  girls  feel  that 
this  is  the  precious  climax  of  the  day.  One  leader 
often  finds  little  slips  of  paper  containing  special 
requests  for  prayer  tucked  under  her  plate. 

While  the  supper  committee  does  the  after- 
supper  work  the  leader  is  ready  for  "confi- 
dences," and  the  girls  come  to  her  in  her  remote 
corner,  singly  or  in  groups,  and  very  weighty 
confidential  matters  are  discussed.  This  is  the 
time  when  the  leader  comes  closest  to  her  girls, 
and  learns  from  them  and  their  talk  with  her  the 
bent  of  their  lives  at  this  time.    Many  a  mother 


The  Sunshine  Band  73 

has  been  made  cognizant  of  undreamed  forces 
in  her  daughter,  by  the  leader,  who,  without  be- 
traying, often  helps  mothers  to  understand  their 
girls  a  little  better. 

This  properly  closes  the  meeting  of  the  Sun- 
shine Band,  but  their  work  at  one  place  has 
made  very  easy  the  carrying  out  of  a  plan  that 
has  indeed  brought  much  sunshine  into  the  pas- 
tor's heart  and  into  the  church  life  at  a  very 
vital  point,  the  mid-week  prayer  service.  The 
plan  is  given  with  the  hope  that  many  such  sun. 
beams  may  enter  many  churches  to  brighten  and 
bless  the  work. 

At  „  quarter  after  seven  the  Sunshine  Band, 
with  other  boys  and  girls,  numbering  about  forty 
in  all,  meet  in  the  chapel  to  rehearse  the  stand- 
ard church  hymns  and  to  learn  some  new  hymn. 
Honest  work  is  put  in  until  7.40.  Then  a  three 
minutes'  talk  is  given  to  them  by  the  leader  and 
the  chorus  quietly  withdraws  to  the  hall,  forms 
m  line,  two  by  two,  and  at  just  the  hour  of  the 
evening  service,  745,  marches  in  around  the 
chapel  singing  some  grand  processional  hymn. 
They  remain  during  the  praise  service,  singing 
one  special  piece  by  themselves.  At  8.05  such  as 
must  go  home  are  dismissed  during  the  singing 
of  a  hymn,  while  those  who  can,  remain  to  the 
service.  Many  parents  object  to  their  children 
being   out   late   at   night,   hence   withdrawal   is 


74  The  Home  Department  of  To-day 

never  interpreted  to  mean  a  lack  of  interest  or 
desire  on  the  part  of  the  chorus  to  remain.  The 
results  have  been  very  gratifying.  The  singing 
has  been  improved ;  a  larger  and  more  punctual 
attendance  on  the  service,  and  a  deeper  interest 
kindled  in  it,  on  the  part  of  the  church  members. 
Once  tried  and  no  church  would  willingly  be 
without  this  junior  choir.  They  may  aid  in  the 
sessions  of  the  Sunday-school  and  at  concerts, 
but  their  special  work  is  the  steady,  every  week, 
mid-week  prayer  service,  the  family  gathering  of 
the  church. 

SOME    SUNSHINE    HAPPENINGS 

"  Mrs.  B.  says  that  she  cannot  come  to  church 
because  she  gets  so  tired  on  Saturday.  She  has 
all  her  mending  to  do  and  her  children  to  tub, 
and  such  lots  of  cooking.  You  know  that  she 
goes  out  to  work  a  lot,  too."  The  girls  thought 
a  while,  and  then  Bess  said,  "  I  like  to  darn 
stockings ;  I  could  do  those  for  her."  Gertie 
could  mend  splendidly  and  she  volunteered  to 
mend  the  rest  of  the  clothing.  Ruth  took  the 
prize  in  the  cooking  class  at  school  and  she  would 
love  to  go  and  help  her  with  the  cooking,  and 
Edith,  the  future  kindergartner,  wanted  to 
*•  tub  "  the  children  if  Mrs.  B.  was  willing.  When 
the  offers  of  service  were  first  made  to  Mrs.  B. 
she  hardly  knew  what  to  make  of  it,  but  she  was 


The  Sunshine  Band  75 

willing  to  accept  their  proffered  aid.  Two 
months  afterwards  Bess  was  heard  to  say,  "  Yes, 
Mrs.  B.  and  all  the  children  come  to  church  every 
Sunday,  and  last  night  Papa  got  hold  of  lAx.  B., 
who  is  lots  more  of  a  man  than  he  used  to  be, 
and  got  him  to  promise  to  come  alorg  with  his 
family  to  church,  and  to  come  into  our  new  men's 
class.  Mr.  B.  says  that  home  is  a  lots  nicer  place 
than  it  used  to  be." 

"  I  wish  that  we  could  make  Easter  bring  its 
true  meaning  to  lots  of  people."  "  Well,  let  us 
try  to,"  said  the  leader.  So,  for  two  weeks  be- 
fore Easter  the  Sunshine  Band  was  busy  ti'im- 
ming  grape  baskets  with  their  colors  in  crepe 
paper.  Such  dainty  yellow  and  white  baskets 
were  never  before  seen.  On  Easter  Sunday 
morning  they  filled  them  with  the  mountain 
laurel  and  may-flowers,  placing  in  each  basket 
a  dainty  Easter  card  painted  by  one  of  the  ''  Sun- 
shiners,"  and  at  seven-thirty  marched  from  the 
home  of  their  leader  to  the  Old  Ladies'  Home. 
There  was  a  basket  of  beauty  for  each  one  of  the 
old  ladies  and  a  book,  Dr.  Knight's  "  Love 
Watch,"  for  the  matron.  The  old  ladies  came 
right  from  the  breakfast  table  into  the  parlor 
and  listened  to  the  Easter  carols  sung  by  the 
girls,  and  after  a  little  speech  from  the  leader 
telling  them  of  the  work  of  the  girls  and  their 
joy  in  being  the   first  to  wish   them   a  happy 


76  The  Home  Department  of  To-day 

Easter,  the  baskets  were  given,  the  good-byes 
were  said,  and  the  girls  went  to  their  homes  for 
breakfast.  At  the  close  of  the  morning  service, 
four  of  the  girls  were  baptized.  In  the  evening 
the  Sunshine  Band  and  junior  chorus  furnished 
the  major  part  of  a  fine  Easter  concert. 

It  was  a  rainy,  disagreeable  day,  and  all  the 
inmates  in  the  convalescent  ward  were  home- 
sick and  inclined  to  be  downright  cross.  Never 
had  the  hospital  seemed  so  unattractive.  The 
door  opened  and  in  came  eight  girls.  They  had 
a  bouquet  for  each  one  of  the  patients,  a  doll 
that  would  shut  its  eyes  for  the  little  lame  girl, 
a  top  that  could  spin  amazingly  for  the  boy  who 
was  to  go  back  to  the  Children's  Home  next 
week,  and  songs  and  stories  for  all.  They  made 
so  much  sunshine  in  their  thirty  minutes'  visit 
that  the  rain  and  clouds  outside  were  powerless 
to  affect  the  patients  of  the  convalescent  ward. 

Ruth  W.  was  the  most  disagreeable  girl  in 
the  school.  She  would  not  belong  to  the  Sun- 
shine Band,  or  to  anything,  or  do  anything  that 
the  girls  wished  her  to.  She  was  the  only  child 
of  a  rich  widow,  and  because  she  had  nicer 
dresses  than  any  one  else,  she  thought  that  she 
was  better  than  any  one  else.  Her  mother  was 
called  away  to  care  for  a  sick  sister  in  the  west 
and  left  Ruth  with  the  housekeeper  to  care  for 
her.    Ruth  had  the  measles  and  they  so  affected 


The  Sunshine  Band  77 

her  eyes  that  the  doctor  would  not  hear  of  her 
using  them  for  at  least  two  months.  Poor 
Ruth  !  She  was  a  good  student,  but  to  lose  two 
months  at  that  time  meant  that  she  would  not 
stand  any  chance  for  promotion.  The  girls  talked 
it  over.  To  have  to  stay  in  a  dark  room,  or  else 
to  have  one's  eyes  bandaged  was  indeed  a  trial. 
Not  to  read,  or  study,  or  look  at  pictures  !  It 
was  a  great  affliction.  The  leader  just  suggested 
at  their  Sunshine  meeting  that  now  perhaps 
might  be  a  good  time  to  help  Ruth  a  little ; 
surely  she  was  sadly  in  need  of  sunshine.  But 
the  leader  would  make  no  suggestions ;  she  let 
the  girls  think  it  out  for  themselves. 

The  result  of  their  planning  was  a  confidential 
talk  with  the  teacher.  Each  day  the  girls  would 
take  turn  in  teaching  the  lessons  that  they  had 
had  the  previous  day.  It  was  hard  work  at  first, 
but  Ruth  was  naturally  quick  and  soon  was  able 
to  concentrate  her  mind  on  what  was  being  read 
or  explained  to  her.  She  could  learn  everything 
excepting  the  arithmetic,  and  that  the  teacher 
thought  might  be  allowed  to  go  with  just  the 
committing  of  the  principles.  At  the  close  of 
the  two  months  the  teacher  gave  a  test  of  the 
work  to  the  girls  of  the  Sunshine  Band  and  to 
Ruth,  and  was  gratified  to  find  that  Ruth  could 
keep  her  place  with  the  class,  though  denied  the 
use  of  her  eyes  for  eight  long  weeks. 


7  8  The  Home  Department  of  To-day 

When  the  mother  returned  from  her  long 
trip,  worn  with  watching  by  her  sick  sister,  she 
found  a  new  daughter.  All  the  selfish,  proud, 
and  disagreeable  ways  had  departed,  leaving  a 
sweet,  humble,  loving  spirit,  a  daughter  always 
on  the  lookout  for  a  chance  to  do  a  favor  to 
some  one  else.  When  the  mother  met  the  leader 
of  the  Sunshine  Band  and  had  a  talk  with  her 
the  leader  said :  "  Do  not  thank  me,  I  did  noth- 
ing; it  was  all  the  girls.  Clouds  have  to  disap- 
pear when  the  sun  shines  so  brightly.  We  find 
that  the  brighter  we  shine,  the  happier  we  are." 
"  Yes,"  said  the  mother,  "  and  the  warmth  of 
your  rays  kindles  an  answering  spark  in  many 
a  place  that  you  do  not  know,  and  many  a  life 
current  is  changed.  I  am  so  glad  for  what  Sun- 
shine has  done  for  me  and  mine." 


CHAPTER  XII 

RECEPTIONS,    SOCIALS,    SPECIAL    DAYS 

Much  emphasis  can  be  placed  on  the  social  side 
of  the  work.  It  is  important  and  contributes 
largely  to  success.  One  Home  Department  re- 
ception each  year  is  felt  to  be  a  necessity.  At 
this  time  the  members  have  the  opportunity  of 
meeting  each  other  and  *'  having  a  real  good 
talk."  Much  careful  planning  is  necessary,  as 
there  are  so  many  details  to  be  looked  after. 

First,  the  most  convenient  time  and  place  for 
all.  This  is  generally  found  to  be  either  in  May 
or  October,  and  the  church  is  usually  deemed 
the  best  place,  using  the  social  rooms  mainly.  If 
the  auditorium  is  not  required  at  all  it  should 
be  free  of  access,  as  many  a  member  may  desire 
to  go  in  and  *'  see  how  the  church  looks."  This 
sometimes  proves  to  be  fraught  with  material  re- 
sults, as  in  one  case,  when  one  of  the  members 
went  in  to  see  how  the  church  looked  and  was  so 
impressed  with  the  dinginess  of  the  carpet  that 
she  bought  a  new  one  and  presented  it  to  the 
church.  Second,  the  arrangements  for  trans- 
portation. So  many  are  unable  to  walk  that  care 
should  be  taken  to  provide  not  only  carriages,  but 

79 


8o  The  Home  Department  of  To-day 

strong-armed  helpers  as  well.  Third,  careful 
arrangement  of  rooms  used.  Because  of  so 
many  invalids  extra  care  must  be  taken  to  so 
arrange  chairs  that  all  draughts  may  be  avoided. 
To  help  this  a  generous  number  of  screens  should 
be  borrowed  for  the  occasion ;  also  extra  wraps. 
One  superintendent,  whose  annual  receptions 
are  great  successes,  has  among  other  items  on 
her  "  borrow  list "  for  these  occasions  twelve 
screens,  twelve  hot  water  bottles,  twenty-four 
shawls  or  capes,  twelve  hassocks,  twelve  rocking- 
chairs.  These  may  seem  to  be  superfluous,  but 
those  who  have  tried  to  add  to  the  success  of 
their  receptions  in  this  way  think  it  worth  ten 
times  the  work  it  makes. 

Fourth,  the  program.  This  should  be  of  a 
simple  character.  No  French  or  Italian  songs, 
no  matter  how  well  sung,  should  find  their  place 
on  the  program.  Old  songs,  and  some  of  the 
grand  new  ones  in  plain  English,  are  always 
acceptable ;  so  are  readings.  A  few  words  from 
the  pastor  and  superintendent  of  the  school  are 
always  expected  and  thoroughly  appreciated  by 
the  members.  If  some  one  from  a  distance  who 
is  engaged  in  the  work  gives  them  a  view  of  the 
work  being  done  in  other  places  it  serves  to 
stimulate  endeavor  on  the  part  of  both  visitors 
and  members.  The  following  is  a  suggestive  pro- 
gram: 


Receptions^  Socials,  Special  Days  8 1 

Musical  selection. 

Welcome  and  devotional  by  the  pastor. 

Solo. 

Our  Record  for  the  Year,  by  the  Home  Department 

Superintendent. 

Hymn. 

Reading. 

Solo. 

About  Our  Main  School. — By  the  Superintendent. 

Hymn. 

Address. — Home  Department  Expert. 

Solo. 

Social    Hour. 

Every  speaker  should  be  brief;  the  address 
should  not  exceed  twenty  minutes  in  length. 
The  Home  Department  superintendent's  record 
should  be  in  the  nature  of  a  report. 

The  refreshments  served  should  be  of  the 
simplest  character;  sandwiches,  cake,  wafers, 
cream,  and  plenty  of  tea  and  coflfee  are  most 
acceptable.  An  elaborate  menu  is  undesirable. 
If  possible,  serve  the  refreshments  in  some  room 
where  you  can  have  small  tables  and  chairs ;  it 
is  not  easy  to  stand  and  hold  cup,  saucer  and 
plate.  It  is  wise  to  have  the  tea  table  in  com- 
mission throughout  the  entire  time.  Be  sure 
and  allow  time  for  general  conversation.  This 
often  is  the  only  time  when  a  large  number  see 
each  other  and  a  "  real  good  visit  "  is  so  much 
appreciated.  If  you  have  a  number  of  Cradle 
Roll  mothers,  it  is  a  good  plan  to  have  a  com- 


82  The  Home  Department  of  To-day 

mittee  take  charge  of  the  tiny  ones  in  some  re- 
mote room  fitted  up  as  a  temporary  nursery,  or, 
if  you  have  a  Sunshine  Band,  and  it  be  deemed 
wiser,  let  the  girls  go  to  the  homes  and  care  for 
the  children.  If  the  finances  permit,  it  is  pleas- 
ing to  have  a  printed  program  which  the  mem- 
bers can  keep  as  a  souvenir.  Many  such  pro- 
grams contain  pictures  of  the  church,  or  pastor, 
or  superintendent.  Some  have  four  pages  and 
contain  the  superintendent's  report.  It  is  well 
to  invite  the  church  and  adult  members  of  the 
school  to  these  receptions. 

The  socials  are  more  conservative  and  are 
mainly  for  the  members,  just  to  give  them  an 
informal  good  time.  Many  departments  find  it 
pleasant  to  hold  *'  neighborhood  socials,"  meet- 
ing in  the  homes  of  some  of  the  members.  In 
the  summer  time  the  near-by  pleasure-resorts 
afford  a  fine  opportunity  for  picnic  socials.  No 
formal  program  is  necessary  for  a  social. 

"  Anniversaries  "  make  a  delightful  social  oc- 
casion, and  many  departments  have  their  anni- 
versary night  in  place  of  the  annual  reception. 
Here  the  members  have  an  hour  or  so  of  socia- 
bility, followed  by  a  banquet ;  all  the  speechmak- 
ing  is  at  the  table. 

There  are  a  number  of  "  special  days  "  in  our 
Sunday-school  work,  and  on  all  of  these  occa- 
sions the  Home  Department  should  be  remem- 


Receptions,  Socials,  Special  Days  83 

bered.     Invitations   should  be  sent;  places   re- 
served for  them;  committees  appointed  to  wel- 
come and  care  for  them.     When  the  nature  of 
the    occasion    permits,    the   Home    Department 
should  be  represented  on  the  program.     Happy 
is  that  department  whose  church  gives  them  one 
Sunday  each  year.    All  necessary  transportation 
is  provided,  a  special  sermon  preached  for  them, 
and  old  and  familiar  hymns  are  sung.    In  a  local- 
ity where  the  church  service  is  followed  directly 
by  the  Sunday-school,  the  session  may  be  en- 
tirely for  the  Home  Department  members.     A 
brief    review    and    study    of    the    lessons    may 
be  given,  and  then  each  department  have  some 
exercise  that  illustrates  the  work  they  are  doing 
as  a  grade. 

The  beginners  may  sing  one  of  their  motion 
songs.  The  primary  department  and  the  junior 
department  can  repeat  some  of  their  supple- 
mental work.  The  intermediate  department  may 
have  one  of  their  number  exhibit  some  of  their 
map  work.  The  senior  and  adult  department 
may  have  some  responsive  service.  At  the  close 
of  the  school,  opportunity  should  be  given  for 
the  members  of  the  school  to  meet  and  greet 
the  members  of  the  Home  Department. 


CHAPTER  XIII 

ITS    PLACE    IN    ORGANIZED    SUNDAY-SCHOOL   WORK 

No  organization  is  productive  of  more  good 
than  the  world-wide  organized  Sunday-school 
work.  North  America  is  practically  completely 
organized  by  state,  province,  and  territory  for 
the  betterment  of  the  work,  and  once  in  three 
years  representatives  from  all  over  the  country 
meet  in  the  International  Convention.  Here 
every  department  of  work  is  studied  and  com- 
mittees chosen  to  care  for  each.  The  Home  De- 
partment is  one  of  the  recognized  departments, 
and  every  three  years  a  committee  is  elected  to 
study  conditions  and  care  for  it.  Dr.  W.  A. 
Duncan,  of  Syracuse,  New  York,  the  pioneer 
champion  of  the  work  in  the  Sunday-school 
world,  was  elected  honorary  chairman  of  this 
committee  for  life  at  the  convention  in  Toronto, 
Canada,  in  1905.  There  were  reported  at  that 
time  10,429  departments,  with  a  membership  of 
393,845.  At  the  executive  committee  meeting 
at  Winona  Lake,  Indiana,  August,  1906,  Dr. 
Duncan  reported  11,891  departments,  with  438,- 
102  members. 

Each  state,  province  and  territory  has  its  own 
84 


Its  Place  in  Organized  Work  85 

organization,  and  in  most  of  these  there  is  a 
Home  Department  committee.  To  do  effective 
work  a  committee  of  three  or  five  should  be 
chosen  from  the  state  executive  committee  to 
care  for  this  Department.  Their  servant  is  the 
state  Home  Department  secretary  or  superin- 
tendent, elected  by  the  full  executive  committee 
or  by  the  state  convention.  Between  the  com- 
mittee and  the  secretary  there  should  be  the 
fullest  confidence.  No  committee,  however  com- 
petent, can  know  conditions  as  can  the  secretary 
who  is  on  the  field  and  comes  into  personal  con- 
tact with  the  workers ;  hence  it  is  not  so  much 
the  province  of  the  committee  to  dictate  as  to 
advise.  The  secretary  reports  the  conditions  as 
they  are,  and  may  give  his  ideas  as  to  the  best 
way  of  meeting  and  bettering  them;  the  com- 
mittee can  then  intelligently  counsel  and  advise ; 
then,  with  the  sanction  of  the  committee,  the  sec- 
retary can  continue  his  work.  That  there  may 
be  no  conflict  or  confusion  in  the  field-work,  the 
general  secretary  is  supposed  to  be  a  mem- 
ber, ex-officio,  of  every  committee.  He  may 
know  of  reasons  why  certain  plans  that  might 
work  well  in  some  places  would  come  to  naught 
in  others.  His  counsel  at  these  committee  meet- 
ings is  most  valuable.  The  Home  Department 
secretary,  however,  so  far  as  plans  and  work  are 
concerned,  is  answerable  primarily  to  the  Home 


S6  The  Home  Department  of  To-day 

Department  committee.  At  least  four  meetings 
a  year  should  be  held,  and  at  each  meeting  the 
secretary  should  furnish  each  member  of  the 
committee  with  a  copy  of  his  report. 

Some  things  that  the  committee  and  secretary 
counsel  about  are :  How  to  interest  every  pas- 
tor and  superintendent  in  the  work ;  how  best  to 
introduce  the  work  in  a  new  field ;  how  to  secure 
the  best  county  or  district  secretaries ;  how  best 
to  present  the  work  at  conventions  and  in  con- 
ferences ;  what  printed  matter  is  necessary ; 
what  are  the  methods  of  canvassing;  how  to 
secure  the  attendance  of  Home  Department 
workers  at  conventions ;  how  best  to  secure 
financial  aid  from  the  individual  Home  Depart- 
ments for  the  state  work. 

As  the  state  has  its  organization,  so  have  the 
counties  or  districts,  according  to  the  division 
of  the  State,  and  in  each  of  these  subdivisions 
there  should  be  a  Home  Department  secretary. 
This  secretary  is  elected  at  the  annual  district 
convention  by  the  convention,  and  if  satisfactory 
service  is  rendered  the  same  person  should  be 
re-elected  indefinitely.  The  counsel  and  service 
of  the  state  secretary  is  at  the  disposal  of  these 
district  secretaries,  and,  working  together,  every 
school  in  the  district  may  be  reached.  Nearly 
all  of  the  county  or  district  secretaries  serve  for 
love  of  the  work,  and  receive  no  financial  com- 


Its  Place  in  Organized  Work  87 

pensation.  Usually  the  district  organization 
provides  stationery  and  stamps.  Where  this  is 
not  done  by  the  district,  the  necessary  materials 
are  furnished  from  the  state  office,  unless  the 
secretary  wishes  to  make  a  personal  contribu- 
tion to  the  work,  of  this  amount.  Many  of  the 
workers  have  but  little  leisure  time  and  certain 
printed   letter-forms    furnished   them   from   the 

I9-. 

Dear 

Our   annual   district    convention   is   to   be   held   on 

at in    the church. 

The     sessions     begin     at ,    , 

Our  work  is  on  the pro- 
gram and  our  conference  is  at I  greatly 

desire  to  meet  you  and  every  one  of  your  Visitors. 
Will  you  kindly  send  each  a  postal  reminder  of  the 
time  and  place,  that  they  may  not  forget? 

Expecting  to  see  you  and  your  helpers,  and  pray- 
ing for  His  blessing  upon  all  of  our  work,  I  am, 
Cordially   yours, 
District  Secretary. 

state  office  are  greatly  appreciated,  and  produc- 
tive of  quick  returns.  For  example,  the  secre- 
tary wishes  the  presence  of  all  home  depart- 
ment workers  at  the  annual  district  convention ; 
here,  in   addition  to   an   address   that  shall  be 


88  The  Home  Department  of  To-day 

helpful  to  them  is  an  opportunity  for  conference 

and  personal  questions  about  the  work.  The 
workers  may  have  been  absent  from  the  school 
when  the  notice  of  the  convention  has  been 
given,  but  if  the  following  letter  is  furnished  in 
quantities  to  the  secretary  he  can  fill  in  the 
blanks  in  a  short  time  and  trust  Uncle  Sam  to 
see  to  it  that  the  notice  reaches  every  Home 
Department  superintendent. 

One  of  the  most  important  duties  of  the  sec- 
retary is  the  furnishing  of  complete  statistics  to 
the  state  secretary  each  year.  That  uniformity 
may  be  conserved,  statistical  blanks  are  fur- 
nished so  that  each  Home  Department  superin- 
tendent may  fill  out  the  blank  for  his  own  de- 
partment. As  the  work  varies  somewhat  in 
different  states,  each  state  secretary  may  formu- 
late his  own  questions ;  but  that  the  international 
chairman  may  have  the  information  he  needs, 
the  following  questions  should  always  appear : 

Name  and  address  of  superintendent. 

Number  of  members. 

Number  of  men. 

Number  of  Visitors. 

Number  joining  the  main  school  from  the  Depart- 
ment. 

Number  joining  the  Department  from  the  main 
school. 

Number  joining  the  church  from  the  Department. 

Amount  of  envelope  collections  for  the  year. 


Its  Place  in  Organized  Work  89 

The   following   questions   are   pertinent,   and 
often  appear  on  the  statistical  sheet : 

Date  of  organization. 

Name  and  address  of  pastor. 

Name   and    address    of   superintendent. 

Number  of  members  in  institutions. 

Number  of  Messengers  who  serve  the  Department. 

Number  in  the  Sunshine  Band. 

Do  you  hold  quarterly  reviews? 

Do  you  hold  neighborhood  meetings? 

Do  you  have  an  annual  reception? 

How  many  family  classes  have  you? 

Loss  in  membership  during  the  year? 

Gain  in  membership  during  the  year? 


CHAPTER  XIV 

COUNCIL   AND    CHAPTER    PLANS 

One  of  the  most  successful  ways  of  systema- 
tizing the  Home  Department  work  of  the  state 
is  the  estabHshing  of  a  Home  Department 
council  with  as  many  chapters  as  there  are  sub- 
divisions in  the  state.  The  council  membership 
is  composed  of  the  state  Home  Department  sec- 
retary, the  state  Home  Department  committee, 
the  district  Home  Department  secretaries  and,  as 
ex  officio  members,  the  chairman  of  the  state 
executive  committee,  the  general  secretary,  and 
the  president  of  the  state  association.  The  state 
Home  Department  secretary  is  the  recognized 
leader  of  the  council.  A  vice-leader,  secretary 
and  treasurer  may  be  elected  by  the  council  at 
its  annual  meeting. 

The  purpose  of  the  council  is  to  provide  a 
suitable  time  and  place  for  a  meeting  that  shall 
furnish  to  each  one  such  a  panoramic  view  of 
the  work  of  the  state,  province  or  territory  as 
shall  be  mutually  helpful.  The  meeting  usually 
takes  place  during  the  annual  state  convention. 
Each  district  secretary  gives  a  brief  report  of 
the  work  being  done,  essential  statistics,  and 
90 


Council  and  Chapter  Plans  91 

helpful  incidents   that  serve  to   illustrate  some 
special  phases  of  the  work.     After  all  have  re- 
ported, opportunity  is  given  for  comment  and 
question.     Thus   every   district   is   informed   of 
the  work  being  done  by  other  districts,  and  the 
interchange  of  ideas  proves  very  helpful.     Cer- 
tain  definite    things   may   be   suggested   to   the 
council  for  the  year's  work  by  the  state  Home 
Department  committee:   Work   during  the  first 
quarter,  to  secure  men  as  members  for  the  Home 
Department;  during  the  second  quarter,  a  can- 
vass  of  institutions   for   members;    during  the 
third     quarter,     the     establishment     of     family 
classes ;  during  the  fourth  quarter,  special  evan- 
gelistic work  with  the  members,  with  the  gain- 
ing of  all  for  church  membership  as  the  aim. 
All  the  reports  should  be  in  writing,  and  given 
to  the  secretary  of  the  council. 

A  semi-annual  meeting  may  be  held  if  advis- 
able. The  summer  school  often  furnishes  a 
good  place  for  such  a  meeting,  especially  if  the 
Home  Department  has  its  rightful  place  on  the 
summer  school  curriculum.  The  meeting  of  the 
council  each  year  furnishes  the  opportunity  for 
personal  contact,  and  during  the  year  a  system 
of  correspondence  proves  helpful  to  keep  the 
workers  in  touch  with  each  other. 

The  counties  or  districts  may  be  grouped,  and 
a  round  robin  or  chain  letter  may  be  started  for 


92  The  Home  Department  of  To-day 

each  group.  For  instance,  Massachusetts  is 
divided  into  fifty  districts ;  these  districts  are 
arranged  in  five  groups  of  ten  districts  each.  A 
list  of  the  names  and  addresses  in  the  correct 
order  was  furnished  each  secretary  and  the  plan 
fully  explained  to  them.  A  strong,  large, 
manila  envelope  was  provided,  on  which  were 
written  the  names  and  addresses.  In  one  corner 
directions  were  given  to  mail  to  the  first  un- 
crossed address. 

Secretary  No.  i  of  the  group  wrote  her  letter, 
which  reported  the  progress  in  her  district,  new 
plans  of  work,  etc.,  she  drew  a  line  through  her 
name  and  address,  put  on  a  stamp  and  sent  it 
to  the  next  on  the  list.  The  envelope  is  never 
sealed,  but  secured  by  a  stout  string.  Secre- 
tary No.  2  on  the  list  read  the  letter,  wrote  and 
added  her  letter,  and  sent  it  to  the  next  on  the 
list.  When  the  ten  letters  were  in  they  went 
to  the  state  secretary,  who  read  them,  carefully 
noting,  for  future  use,  the  information  con- 
tained, enclosed  all  in  a  new  envelope  and  sent 
it  to  No.  I,  who  thus  had  the  opportunity  to 
read  all.  She  may  take  out  the  one  she  put  in 
first  and  write  a  new  one,  enclose  it,  and  send 
it  on  as  before.  By  this  means,  new  ways  of 
work  are  discovered,  and  each  secretary  has  a 
broader  outlook  than  she  finds  in  just  her  own 
district. 


Council  and  Chapter  Plans  93 

The  Chapter 

The  membership  of  the  chapter  of  the  state 
council  comprises  every  Home  Department  su- 
perintendent and  Visitor  in  the  district.  The 
district  Home  Department  secretary  is  the 
leader  of  the  chapter  wi(.h  a  vice-leader  and 
secretary  elected  by  the  chapter.  At  least  four 
meetings  are  held  each  year,  usually  on  the  most 
convenient  evening  of  the  second  week  of  the 
quarter.  Monthly  meetings  are  advisable  for 
districts  having  many  new  Departments.  The 
aim  of  the  chapter  is  to  aid  in  establishing  a 
Home  Department  in  every  school  in  the  dis- 
trict, and  continually  to  improve  those  already 
in  existence.  At  each  meeting  there  is  the  roll- 
call  of  the  superintendents,  each  of  whom  gives 
a  report  of  his  work,  afterwards  filing  it  with 
the  secretary.  Important  statistics  are  never 
omitted.  After  all  the  reports  have  been  given, 
the  leader  can  comment  on  the  same  and  then 
give  the  superintendents  and  Visitors  opportu- 
nity for  questions.  It  is  an  incentive  to  better 
work  to  have  some  expert  from  outside  come 
in  and  address  the  chapter. 

As  in  the  council,  suggestions  for  future  work 
that  shall  be  uniform  are  given.  When  the 
members  become  familiar  with  the  chapter  work, 
a  two-session  meeting  is  advisable,  an  afternoon 
session,  to  be  executive  in  its  character,  when 


94  The  Home  Department  of  To-day 

reports  can  be  given,  etc.,  and  an  evening  ses- 
sion, which  shall  be  of  an  inspirational  character, 
and  to  which  all  the  schools  in  the  district  are 
invited.  At  the  evening  session,  a  resume  of 
the  reports  of  the  afternoon  can  be  given.  If 
possible,  a  light  supper  can  be  served,  so  that 
the  members  may  not  need  to  go  home  between 
the  sessions. 

Some  Chapter  Incidents 

The  state  secretary  was  invited  to  the  first 
meeting  of  the  chapter.  *'I  shall  need  your  sup- 
port and  encouragement,  for  I  fear  our  numbers 
will  be  very  small.  As  we  have  only  nine  De- 
partments in  the  district  out  of  the  twenty-three 
schools,  there  cannot  be  very  many  workers. 
We  have  invited  any  who  are  interested  in  the 
work  to  attend,  so  we  may  get  a  few  more  from 
those."  The  district  secretary  was  hopeful,  but 
not  the  least  bit  optimistic.  She  had  secured  a 
small  chapel  for  the  meeting,  that  the  audience 
might  not  seem  lost.  The  state  secretary  was 
late,  owing  to  an  open  drawbridge,  but  her  sur- 
prise and  pleasure  was  great  when,  instead  of 
sliding  quietly  into  a  rear  seat  she  had  to  take 
the  very  front  one,  for  all  the  rest  were  filled. 
The  nine  reports  were  fine,  each  breathing  a 
desire  for  a  larger  knowledge  of  methods  and 
of  the  work  in  general. 


Council  and  Chapter  Plans  95 

At  the  close  of  the  address  by  the  state  sec- 
retary, the  questions  from  all  in  the  house  came 
thick  and  fast.  At  the  close  of  the  meeting, 
which  was  an  hour  and  three-quarters  long,  in- 
stead of  the  hour  that  had  been  planned,  a 
pastor  said :  "I  came  here  to-night  to  learn  if 
the  Department  was  really  feasible  and  desirable 
for  our  church  to  take  hold  of.  I  am  convinced 
that  it  is,  and  at  your  next  meeting  you  will 
have  another  superintendent  to  report." 

A  Home  Department  superintendent  said :  ''  I 
came  here  with  a  determination  to  resign  my 
office ;  the  work  has  gone  just  about  so  for  the 
last  three  years,  and  somehow  we  could  not  see 
how  to  put  new  life  into  it ;  but  now  I  know,  and 
am  full  of  courage.  I  asked  my  Visitors  to 
come  here  with  me,  and  all  came,  and  we  now 
feel  that  we  understand  the  meaning  of  the  work 
and  feel  that  it  is  m.ore  than  worth  the  while, 
and  we  shall  put  our  best  endeavors  into  it 
hereafter.  The  best  of  all  is  that  we  can  depend 
on  just  these  same  helpful  meetings  every 
quarter." 

A  Visitor  said,  "  I  shall  never  again  feel  that 
our  work  doesn't  count.  I  have  learned  much 
from  the  experience  of  others,  and  shall  look 
forward  to  our  next  meeting  with  pleasure." 

After  two  years,  during  which  the  chapter 
met  quarterly,  there  were  in  this  district  twenty- 


96  The  Home  Department  of  To-day 

one  Departments,  and  each  one  doing  the  most 
excellent  work. 

"  How  came  such  a  busy  man  as  you  here  to- 
night ?  "  was  asked  of  a  pastor  who  had  always 
had,  as  an  excuse,  when  his  friend,  the  state 
Home  Department  secretary,  tried  to  talk  her 
work  to  him,  "  Too  much  on  hand  now."  **  I 
had  to  come  in  self-defense.  Of  course,  you 
know  that  we  have  not  had  the  time  to  start  the 
work,  and  evidently  the  good  people  who  con- 
stitute the  chapter  thought  that  we  were  not 
alive  to  our  duties.  Within  three  days,  seven 
different  people  from  four  denominations  came 
and  asked  me  to  attend  this  meeting  with  some 
of  my  people,  and  give  the  work  a  fair  hearing. 
So  I  came  with  twenty-one  of  my  folks  as  a 
body-guard,  and  we  have  all  been  taken  captive 
and  are  going  to  work  out  our  salvation  in  or- 
ganizing as  fine  a  Department  as  there  is  in  the 
district,  for  we  have  much  available  material  for 
members  and  workers.  We  are  going  at  it  at 
once."  He  did,  and  in  six  months  had  a  mem- 
bership of  one  hundred  and  seventy-five. 

**  How  did  you  come  to  add  so  many  new 
Departments  in  your  district  last  year?"  was 
asked  one  of  the  chapter  leaders.  *'  By  getting 
those  in  authority  where  there  were  no  Depart- 
ments to  attend  our  chapter  meetings.  We  called 
on  pastor  and  superintendent  and  some  of  the 


Council  and  Chapter  Plans  gy 

teachers  of  those  churches,  and  told  them  of  the 
work  that  was  being  done ;  invited  them  to  the 
meetings.  They  came,  were  interested,  and, 
feeling  sure  of  help  from  us,  at  any  and  all 
times,  were  encouraged  to  start  a  Department. 
We  all  help  each  other  and  enjoy  it,  because  it 
broadens  our  work.  You  frequently  see  our 
Methodist  superintendent  at  a  meeting  of  the 
Congregational  Home  Department  workers,  and 
vice  versa.  We  are  just  one  big  family  in  our 
Home  Department  work,  and  all  equally  inter- 
ested in  each  other." 


CHAPTER  XV 

INCIDENTS 

My  First  Social. — "  Our  first  venture  is  to  be 
held  in  the  home  of  one  of  our  members,  a 
"  shut-in,"  who,  by  opening  her  home,  is  en- 
abled to  have  a  part  in  our  good  time.  You 
must  be  sure  to  come  as  early  as  you  can,  for 
this  is  new  ground  to  us,  and  we  are  not  sure 
of  ourselves ;  we  are  so  desirous  of  having  the 
social  a  success  in  every  way,  so  that  the 
church  and  school  shall  take  a  real  live  interest 
in  our  work.  We  have  done  all  that  you  sug- 
gested, and  now — for  the  results !  " 

The  state  secretary  closed  her  desk  on  such 
an  accumulation  of  matter,  and  bparded  the 
train  for  the  place  from  which  the  letter  was 
written.  An  obstruction  on  the  track  caused 
a  delay  of  half  an  hour,  so  that  when  the  train 
reached  M —  it  was  late.  There  was  just  one 
lone  hack  at  the  station,  and  as  the  secretary 
looked  about  her,  the  driver  came  limping  up 

and    said,    ''Are    you    Mother    S ?"    Too 

amazed  to  say  anything,  she  nodded  an  affirma- 
tive. ''  Well,  to-day  I  am  one  of  your  children. 
This  is  a  Home  Department  hack,  and  these  are 
98 


Incidents 


99 


Home  Department  horses,  and  I  am  to  drive  you 
quick  to  our  Home  Department  social."  This 
was  rattled  off  in  one  breath,  and  just  as  rapidly 
the  secretary  found  herself  shut  in  the  vehicle 
and  away  she  was  whirled.  Never  in  her  exper- 
ience had  she  been  driven  at  such  a  rate,  and  she 
devoutly  prays  that  she  may  never  be  again. 
When  the  home  was  reached,  the  driver  did  have 
the  grace  to  look  ashamed  as  he  saw  her  evident 
perturbation.  "  Guess  we  came  pretty  fast,  but 
you  see  the  nags  and  I  have  been  all  the  after- 
noon,  since   one   o'clock,   just    crawling    along 

carrying  old  and  sick  people  to  Mrs. .     We 

just  had  to  let  off  steam,  and  you  looked  as  if 
you  could  stand  it.  Besides,  we  were  late,  any- 
how." 

The  house  seemed  filled  to  overflowing,  and 
as  the  superintendent  escorted  the  secretary  up- 
stairs, she  said,  "  Everything  is  going  finely. 
We  have  nearly  all  the  officials  of  the  church 
and  school  here,  and  we  have  over  eighty  of  the 
Department.  Old  Mr.  S.  is  here.  He  has  both 
legs  cut  off,  you  know,  and  we  have  some  here 
who  have  not  been  out  of  their  homes  for  years  ; 
they  are  having  such  a  good  time.  Our  pastor 
is  getting  his  eyes  open,  and  some  of  the  rest 
of  the  folks  who  have  been  so  indifferent." 

The  program  was  fine ;  the  pastor's  wife  was 
a  sweet  singer,  and  she  delighted  the  company 


lOO         The  Home  Department  of  To-day 

a  number  of  times  with  her  songs,  a  fine  elocu- 
tionist gave  several  short  readings,  and  the 
state  secretary  spoke  of  the  work.  The  Sun- 
shine Band  and  Messenger  boys  contributed 
their  share  to  the  entertainment,  and  everything 
did  indeed  go  off  well. 

When  the  refreshments  were  served,  the  sec- 
retary found  herself  shut  in  a  corner  by  some 
one  closing  a  door  part  way,  thus  she  was 
unobserved  and  hemmed  in.  While  in  this  pre- 
dicament she  overheard  the  following  conversa- 
tion between  the  pastor  and  his  senior  deacon. 
**  Why,  have  you  seen  who  are  here  ?  I  never 
knew  that  as  a  church  we  had  any  claim  on 
Mrs.  A.,  and  now  she  tells  me  that  she  has  be- 
longed to  the  Department  a  year,  and  has  en- 
joyed it  so  much.  Just  think !  Four  of  our 
young  men  have  given  up  a  half-day's  pay  just 
to  enable  some  of  these  folks  to  get  here,  those 
who  have  had  to  be  lifted  in  and  out  of  the  car- 
riage. When  I  thanked  Jack  just  now,  he  said, 
'  Don't  mention  it !  We  are  more  than  paid  in 
witnessing  the  delight  of  these  poor  folks  in 
meeting  their  old  friends  and  having  a  genuine 
good  time.'  Deacon,  I  never  before  realized 
all  that  this  work  meant,  and  I  fear  that  we  have 
not  been  treating  Mrs.  R.  fairly ;  we  have  not 
given  her  the  definite  help  that  we  might  have ; 
but  from  me,  in  the  future,  she  can  ask  anything 


Incidents  lOl 

for  this  work  and  I  shall  be  proud  to  serve  her. 
Truly  this  is  a  blessed  work,  and  is  accomplish- 
ing for  those  who  need  it  most,  just  what  we 
have  been  hoping  that  as  a  church  we  might 
undertake — creating  and  maintaining  a  united 
family  interest  in  God's  Word  and  the  church." 
That  evening,  as  the  secretary  had  her  second 
lide  in  the  Home  Department  hack,  the  man 
said  to  her,  ''  Well,  some  folks  do  live  Chris- 
tianity, others  are  rare  talkers,  but  slim  doers 
of  it,  but  this  afternoon  has  been  an  eye-opener 
to  me/'  The  social  proved  an  eye-opener  to 
many,  and  for  years  the  Home  Department  has 
been  one  of  the  most  honored  of  all  in  that 
church  and  school. 

The  Valiant  Woman.  — ''  I  am  so  glad  to 
have  you  go  with  me  on  the  canvass  this  after- 
noon ;  I  have  saved  the  hardest  cases  for  you 
to  undertake.  W^e  shall  go  first  to  call  on  *  the 
valiant  woman.'  "  The  secretary,  amused,  looked 
at  the  Visitor  and  said,  ''  What  ever  gave  such 
a  title  to  one  of  our  weaker  sex?"  "Her  un- 
questioned ability  to  keep  her  home  free  from 
all  intruders.  None  of  the  neighbors  have  suc- 
ceeded in  calling  on  her,  and  when  the  minis- 
ter called  and  would  not  leave  the  doorstep,  for 
he  knew  that  she  was  at  home,  she  stuck  her 
head  out  of  the  window  and  told  him  that 
there  was  no  one  at  home,  no  one  who  wanted 


I02         The  Home  Department  of  To-day 

to  see  him,  and  that  he  needn't  keep  on  ringing 
the  bell,  for  she  was  not  at  home.  Of  course, 
there  was  nothing  else  consistent  with  his  cleri- 
cal dignity  but  to  beat  an  undignified  retreat. 
The  sad  part  is,  that  she  has  three  bright  chil- 
dren, and  while  they  attend  the  public  schools, 
they  are  not  allowed  to  attend  the  Sunday- 
school.  They  are  very  bright  children,  and  evi- 
dently well  brought  up,  for  they  are  extremely 
reticent  about  home  affairs.  It  is  for  their 
sakes  that  I  am  so  very  anxious  to  get  some 
hold  on  the  woman.  Wish  that  we  knew  some 
vulnerable  point  in  her." 

The  front  door  was  forbiddingly  closed,  but 
the  side  piazza  door  was  open,  and  here  the  sec- 
retary guided  her  friend.  Just  the  lightest 
knock  and  then,  as  no  one  appeared,  but  the 
sound  of  singing  from  a  room  in  the  rear  could 
be  heard,  the  two  entered,  and  rapped  more 
loudly.  The  woman  came  in  and  looked  aghast 
at  the  sight  of  the  intruders,  but  before  she 
could  collect  her  thoughts  to  say  anything,  the 
secretary  said  :  ''  My !  What  magnificent  plants ! 
How  do  you  coax  them  to  bloom  so?  Do  you 
use  some  kind  of  plant  food?  Do  tell  me  your 
secret  ?  " 

For  a  moment  the  woman  hesitated,  and  then 
gave  the  desired  information,  and  as  she  was 
about  to  ask  the  intent  of  this  forced  call,  the 


Incidcfits  1 03 

secretary  was  ill-mannered  enough  to  begin  on 
horticulture  again,  this  time  asking  so  many 
questions  that  the  woman  was  interested,  for 
the  vulnerable  point  had  been  found.  It  was 
just  this,  love  of  flowers. 

For  fully  fifteen  minutes,  the  conversation 
was  on  this  subject,  and  then  the  secretary  asked 
all  kinds  of  pardon,  and  introduced  herself  and 
her  companion.  By  degrees  the  real  intent  of 
the  call  was  made  known,  and  the  plea  made 
for  an  opportunity  to  know  her  better,  and  for 
the  privilege  of  presenting  her  children  to  the 
Sunday-school  for  membership.  After  a  very 
apparent  struggle  with  herself,  the  woman  said, 
"  Well,  I  have  dear  children,  and  they  ought  not 
to  be  kept  from  anything  that  will  help  them, 
and  if  the  rest  of  the  church  people  are  like  you, 
I  will  not  keep  them  away  any  longer,  but  as 
for  me,  I  must  decline.  I  really  prefer  to  live 
a  retired  Hfe."  After  a  long  talk  about  the 
children  the  secretary  begged  for  at  least  a 
Home  Department  membership  for  the  mother. 
Then  the  life  story  was  told ;  it  was  so  sad,  and, 
because  those  who  should  have  stood  by  the 
mother  in  her  trouble  turned  away,  and  the 
church  of  which  she  was  a  member  gave  her  no 
helping  hand,  only  cold  looks,  and  a  decided 
**  letting  alone,"  she  concluded  to  move  away 
and  live  just  for  her  children,  and  have  nothing 


104        1^^^  Home  Department  of  To-day 

to  do  with  any  one  other  than  the  school- 
teacher, and  possibly  the  doctor  of  the  place. 

When  the  two  left  the  home  they  carried 
with  them  the  promise  of  the  children's  presence 
at  the  service  of  church  and  school  the  next  Sun- 
day and  the  Home  Department  membership  of 
the  mother,  and,  best  of  all,  a  request  to  the 
pastor  that  he  would  call  and  receive  an  apology 
for  her  rudeness,  and  allow  her  to  make  amends. 
Two  years  later,  when  the  convention  met  at 
that  church,  the  chairman  of  the  refreshment 
committee  was  this  woman.  Valiant  indeed,  for 
she  had  risen  above  trouble  that  might  well 
have  crushed  any  woman,  and  now  was  living 
for  her  children  in  the  best  sense  of  the  word,  for 
once  more  she  had  allowed  Him  to  come  in  and 
help,  and  had  found  in  the  church  true  ''  broth- 
ers and  sisters  in  Christ." 

Major. — ''  You  have  asked  every  one  on  your 
list  except  the  Major.  Why  don't  you  ask 
him?" 

The  daughter  looked  rather  shamefacedly  at 
her  mother  and  then  owned  up,  "  I'm  scared ;  he 
is  such  a  cold,  polished  man,  so  absolutely  cor- 
rect every  way,  and  just  about  as  unapproach- 
able as  the  North  Pole.  I  know  he  won't  join 
the  Home  Department."  "  Do  your  part  and 
ask  him  to-day."  It  was  with  a  feeling  of  joy 
that  the  daughter  saw  the  Major  get  into  his 


Incidents  105 

carriage  and  drive  home  after  the  church  serv- 
ice ;  she  truly  had  not  the  opportunity  to  reach 
him  to  proffer  her  request. 

As  she  v^as  about  going  into  the  chapel  one  of 
the  messengers  came  to  her  and  said  delightedly, 
'*  See  what  I  have  for  you !  "  He  held  out  an 
application  card  for  membership  in  the  Home 
Department,  signed  by  the  Major.  Hardly  be- 
lieving her  eyes,  she  said,  **  Why,  Francis,  v^here 
did  you  get  that  ?  "  "  Why,  don't  you  remem- 
ber that  we  boys  asked  you  for  ten  cards  each, 
thinking  that  we  might  help  to  get  some  mem- 
bers? Last  Sunday  the  other  boys  told  me 
that  they  had  their  cards  full,  and  that  they 
would  only  wait  one  more  week  for  me ;  I  had 
nine  and  was  wondering  where  I  could  get  the 
last  one.  I  have  to  go  to  old  Mrs.  S.,  you 
know,  she  lives  just  beyond  the  Major,  and  last 
Sunday  I  was  thinking  about  that  card  just  as 
I  got  to  the  Major's,  and  then  I  saw  him  sit- 
ting out  in  the  yard,  reading  the  Sunday  news- 
paper. I  thought  that  I  might  perhaps  get  him 
if  no  one  else  had  asked  him,  and,  besides,  I  had 
a  prime  reason  for  his  joining,  too." 

"What  did  you  say,  and  what  did  he  say? 
Tell  me  all  about  it !  I  am  so  glad  you  got 
him !  " 

"  Well,  I  went  up  to  him  and  said,  *  Hullo, 
Major,  I  want  you  to  join  the  Sunday-school.* 


io6         The  Home  Department  of  To-day 

He  looked  at  me  over  his  glasses  in  that  calm, 
exasperating  sort  of  way  he  has,  and  said,  '  Join 
the  Sunday-school ;  pray,  why  do  you  think  I 
should  join  the  school,  my  lad?'  Then  I  had 
him.  I  said,  *  Because  of  Fay,  sir.'  He  looked 
at  me  and  asked  what  about  Fay,  and  I  told 
him.  I  told  him  that  Fay  never  had  his  lesson, 
and  that  he  did  not  behave  in  the  class,  and  that 
when  the  teacher  asked  him  why  he  acted  as  he 
did,  and  why  he  never  had  his  lesson  he  said, 
''  My  father  does  not  have  to  come  to  Sunday- 
school  nor  get  any  lesson,  and  I  don't  see  what 
I  have  to  come  for.'  The  Major  looked  a  min- 
ute at  me  kinder  queer,  and  then  he  said  slowly, 
'  I  guess  you're  right.  I  cannot  come  to 
Sunday-school,  however."  Then  I  had  him,  for 
I  told  him  about  the  Home  Department,  and 
fished  out  my  card  and  asked  him  if  he  would 
join.  He  said  he  would,  and  I  told  him  to  write 
his  name  right  off  before  he  changed  his  mind. 
He  kinder  laughed  and  wrote  it,  and  there  it  is. 
When  I  came  back  he  was  reading  his  paper, 
and  I  just  ran  home  hard  as  I  could  and  got 
mother  to  give  me  her  quarterly,  and  went  back 
and  said,  '  Major,  every  Sunday  teacher  asks 
us  about  last  Sunday's  lesson ;  here  it  is,  and 
Fay  didn't  know  a  word  of  his  lesson  to-day,  so 
I  thought  perhaps  you'd  better  post  up  and  help 
him.'     The  Major  took  the  book  and  laughed 


Incidents  10/ 

again,  and  told  me  to  call  every  Sunday.  Say, 
he  is  fine  when  you  get  close  to  him." 

The  superintendent  looked  at  the  boy  in  lov- 
ing awe.  In  his  direct,  boyish  fashion  he  had 
conquered  while  she  had  been  procrastinating. 
When  the  report  from  the  members  came  in 
at  the  close  of  the  quarter  the  Major's  study 
record  was  perfect.  The  man  was  not  a  pro- 
fessing Christian,  but  thoroughly  good.  When 
the  year  came  to  a  close,  the  last  report  was  not 
complete.  The  Major  was  not,  for  *'God  took 
him."  He  died  a  sweet,  humble  Christian.  A 
short  time  before  his  death  he  said  to  his  wife, 
"  I  thank  God  for  the  little  lad  that  came  and 
told  me  that  I  ought  to  study  my  Bible.  In- 
stead of  letting  others  do  the  studying  for  me, 
the  personal  study  of  it  has  led  me  to  see  as  I 
never  thought  to  see,  and  now  I  am  just  going 
home  to  the  *  many  mansions.' " 

Lost. — **Be  sure  that  you  do  not  fail  me ; 
service  commences  at  10.30,  and  if  I  keep  on 
I  shall  not  have  voice  enough  left  to  conduct 
the  preliminary  service,  as  you  seem  to  think  I 
must  do.  This  is  just  the  chance  to  get  in  your 
Home  Department  work." 

The  pastor  left  the  state  ofifice  feeling  relieved 
that  all  arrangements  for  the  Sunday's  services 
had  been  completed,  and  went  home  to  nurse  a 
very  hard  cold. 


io8         The  Home  Department  of  To-day 

Sunday  morning  the  secretary  found  herself, 
according  to  directions,  in  B.  Square;  the  place 
was  strange  to  her,  and  as  car  after  car  came 
along  she  got  a  wee  mite  confused.  "  Is  this 
the  car  for  C.  ?  "  she  asked  of  the  starter.  Being 
assured  that  it  was,  she  entered,  but,  wishing 
to  be  sure  that  she  made  no  mistake,  she  asked 
the  conductor  of  the  car,  "  Is  this  the  car  for  C. 
that  goes  by  the  Methodist  church  ?  "  He  said 
that  it  was,  and  she  was  satisfied.  Just  as  the 
last  bell  was  tolling,  the  car  stopped  between 
two  churches,  and  the  conductor  motioned  to 
her  to  get  out.  She  did  so,  and  looked,  one 
was  a  Catholic  church,  surely,  and  the  other  did 
not  seem  to  correspond  with  the  description  of 
the  church  to  which  she  was  going.  She  asked 
a  passer-by  and  received  the  startling  informa- 
tion that  she  was  at  least  two  miles  from  her 
destination,  that  this  was  a  part  of  C,  but  that 
particular  part  was  exactly  opposite,  and  at  least 
two  long  miles  away.  The  terminal  was  but 
a  block  away,  and  as  the  car  came  back  she  got 
on.  There  was  no  one  in  the  car,  and  the  con- 
ductor looked  at  her  rather  blankly.  **  Wasn't 
that  the  church?" 

''  Indeed  it  was  not.  I  should  think  that  you 
conductors  ought  to  read  up  on  the  churches." 
This  was  not  said  in  the  pleasantest  of  tones,  and 
the  conductor  rather  resented  it.     ''  Well,  that 


Incidents  1 09 

may  be,  but  I  should  think  that  the  churches 
had  better  get  read  up  on  us.  We  have  to 
work,  no  chance  to  go  and  hear  them  read  or 
anything  else." 

It  came  home  with  force  to  the  secretary :  Was 
not  this  her  work?  Was  not  the  reaching  of 
the  masses  her  particular  theme  that  she  was 
going  to  speak  on  that  Sunday  morning  if  she 
ever  reached  her  destination  ?  She  told  the  con- 
ductor all  about  her  work  and  her  mission  of 
the  day,  and  he  was  interested,  but  plainly  very 
sceptical  about  any  very  definite  results  coming 
from  her  endeavors.  "  You  mean  all  right,  and 
it  is  a  good  thing.  It  would  help  a  man  to  feel 
that  he  was  not  outside  the  pale  of  respectability, 
and  that  the  church  did  feel  some  care  for  him. 
But,  bless  you!  you  don't  know  this  city;  why, 
it  takes  the  good  church  people  all  their  time  to 
take  care  of  their  own  precious  souls,  and  they 
have  no  time  to  care  for  any  one  else's."  The 
church,  the  right  one  this  time,  was  reached 
just  as  the  poor  pastor,  in  a  hoarse  voice,  was 
giving  out  the  hymn  that  precedes  the  sermon. 
The  look  of  relief  that  passed  over  his  face  as 
he  saw  the  delinquent,  was  eloquent.  Hurried 
explanations  were  given  him,  and  the  secretary 
delivered  her  message,  not  the  one  she  had  pre 
pared  with  so  much  care,  but  a  history  of  the 
morning's  experiences,  the  great  need,  the  im- 


1 10         The  Home  Department  of  To-day 

mense  field  for  home  mission  work  at  our  very 
doors,  and  suggested  the  Home  Department  as 
the  most  effective  agency  for  reaching  out  and 
meeting  the  need. 

At  the  session  of  the  Sunday-school  the  men's 
class  asked  her  to  sit  with  them  in  planning 
the  best  way  to  reach  these  men.  At  the  close 
of  the  evening  service  the  Home  Department 
had  been  established  and  workers  pledged  to 
canvass  not  only  the  homes,  but  to  go  to  the 
car-barns,  fire  stations,  roundhouse,  police  sta- 
tion and  jail.  A  few  weeks  later  the  secretary 
found  herself  bound  for  B.,  and  as  the  con- 
ductor came  to  take  her  fare  she  recognized  her 
former  unbelieving  friend.  "  Guess  I  was  rather 
hard  on  the  folks  round  here  a  few  weeks  ago, 
wasn't  I  ?  I'll  take  it  all  back ;  they  are  better  than 
I  thought.  One  of  the  men  got  after  me  and 
landed  me  the  first  time,  and  it's  all  right.  If 
they  keep  it  up,  lots  of  the  fellows  will  be  better 
than  they  are  now." 

Stove  Blacking  vs.  Religion. — The  Home  De- 
partment Visitors  were  having  an  experience 
party,  and  the  one  that  most  amused  the  secre- 
tary was  from  one  of  the  daintiest  of  little 
women. 

"  Yes,  I  got  old  Mrs.  B.  at  last,  but  such  a 
course  as  she  put  me  through !  She  has  been 
sick   for  over  two  months,  and  her  poor  old 


Incidents 


III 


husband  has  been  doing  the  work,  all  but  black- 
ing the  stove.  He  drew  the  line  there,  and  said 
that  he'd  wash  it,  but  as  for  '  sticking  on  black- 
ing/ he  would  not.  When  I  asked  her  if  she 
would  join  the  Home  Department  she  informed 
me  that  she  never  had  time  to  be  a  Christian 
when  she  was  well,  and  she  guessed  she  would 
not  start  in  while  she  was  flat  on  her  back.  I 
told  her  that  joining  the  Home  Department  did 
not  necessarily  mean  that  one  must  be  a  Chris- 
tian, although  we  greatly  desired  that  all  our 
members  might  come  to  know  Him.  Her  hus- 
band is  a  member,  a  church  member  also,  and 
I  suppose  that  is  what  put  the  idea  into  her 
head.  She  wanted  to  know  if  I  had  religion 
enough  to  black  her  stove ;  that  she  was  '  fair 
sick '  to  see  a  good  shine  on  her  range  once 
more.  *  John  had  some  religion,  but  not  enough 
to  black  stoves  /  then  she  said  that  she  would 
make  a  bargain — if  I  would  come  and  black  her 
stove  real  good,  three  times  a  week,  while  she 
was  sick,  she  would  join  the  Home  Department 
and  get  her  lessons  *  by  heart,'  and  see  to  it  that 
John  did  the  same.  Poor  John,  he  knows  his 
Bible  from  cover  to  cover,  almost,  but  she  will 
never  allow  that  John  knows  any  more  than 
she  does.  So  I  have  been  for  the  past  three 
weeks  a  stove  blacker,  and  I  want  you  to  believe 
that  I  am  getting  to  be  quite  an  expert."    The 


112         The  Home  Department  of  To-day 

ladies  fairly  shouted,  and  one  said :  "  Why,  Mrs. 
G.,  I  do  not  believe  you  ever  blacked  a  stove 
before  in  all  your  life,  did  you?'* 

Mrs.  G.  laughed  and  owned  up  that  she  never 
had;  she  had  always  had  servants  to  do  that 
kind  of  work,  both  in  her  father's  and  her  own 
home.  "  But  you  see,  I  was  bound  to  get  my 
old  lady,  she  is  such  a  character,  and  the  grace 
of  God  would  do  so  much  for  her,  and  if  it 
meant  stove  blacking,  why  I  just  had  to  black 
stoves.  So  I  went  into  my  kitchen  and  made 
Mary  show  me  how  to  go  to  work,  and  I 
blacked  my  own  stove  for  practise,  and  then 
went  *  and  did  my  lesson '  for  Mrs.  B.  I  am 
not  sorry  that  she  is  now  able  to  do  it  herself, 
but  I  shall  call  often,  even  if  I  am  not  to  take 
care  of  her  range  any  more.  She  has  gotten 
interested  in  the  lesson  study,  and  her  remarks 
on  the  lessons  are  so  bright  and  original.  I  am 
sure  that  she  will  yet  be  a  child  of  the  King- 
dom." That  night,  as  the  pastor  accompanied 
the  secretary  home,  he  said :  "  When  our  ladies 
of  wealth  and  leisure  undertake  this  work  in 
true  earnest  they  have  experiences  that  are 
worth  while.  Mrs.  G.  does  not  know  it,  but  her 
Mary  was  so  impressed  with  the  idea  that  her 
dainty  little  mistress  cared  enough  for  the  soul 
of  old  Mrs.  B.  that  she  came  to  me  and  had  a 
long  talk,  and  as  a  result  will  join  the  church." 


f 


Incidents  1 1 3 

The  Sailor. — There  came  into  the  prayer- 
meeting  in  the  Methodist  Church  of  C.  one  night 
a  young  lady  accompanied  by  a  young  man, 
whose  likeness  to  her  proclaimed  a  close  rela- 
tionship. The  pastor  looked  curiously  at  the 
man  whom  he  had  never  seen  before,  and  then 
he  looked  at  the  girl;  yes,  he  had  seen  her  at 
the  church  several  times  of  late,  but  she  had 
always  left  so  quickly  that  he  had  never  had  the 
oportunity  of  speaking  to  her.  Something  in 
their  attitude  made  him  change  his  entire  sub- 
ject matter  for  the  service.  Instead  of  the 
study  of  Philemon  which  he  had  planned  to  be- 
gin that  night,  he  asked  that  the  meeting  might 
be  one  of  testimony  of  God's  goodness  tO'  his 
people  in  the  past  week.  The  pastor's  own 
talk  was  most  helpful  and  as  the  testimonies 
came  thick  and  fast  the  strange  young  man 
seemed  deeply  moved. 

At  the  close  of  the  meeting  the  pastor  gave 
the  opportunity  for  any  who  desired  to  accept 
Christ  openly  to  do  so  then,  and  the  young  man 
arose.  They  learned  that  he  was  a  sailor,  and 
the  next  day  was  to  leave  his  sister,  who  was 
the  only  one  left  of  a  large  family,  and  go  off 
on  a  long  voyage.  He  had  felt  that  he  needed 
the  help  of  One  that  was  able  to  care  for  him, 
but  he  did  not  know  just  how  to  give  himself 
to  Him ;  but  it  had  all  been  made  so  plain.     "  If 


114         '^^^  Home  Department  of  To-day 

only  I  might  stay  here  and  belong  to  you  and 
get  help  from  you  in  this  new  way;  but  1  go 
where  there  will  be  little  or  no  Christian  influ- 
ence, and  what  if  I  should  not  be  able  to  keep 
Christian?"  The  pastor  comforted  the  young 
man,  as  only  a  pastor  who  loves  men  with  a 
Christ-like  love  can,  and  then,  giving  him  his 
own  little  Bible  and  the  Sunday-school  quarterly 
explained  the  Home  Department  to  him.  "  You 
can  let  us  know  where  to  address  you,  and 
whenever  you  get  to  that  port  you  shall  find 
letters  from  us.  Write  to  me  freely,  and  I  will 
help  you  all  that  I  can.  You  can  study  your  les- 
sons and  read  your  Bible  and  really  belong  to  us 
through  our  Home  Department,  and  when  you 
return  we  shall  hope  to  welcome  you  to  our 
church  membership."     He  went  away  happy. 

Some  time  later  the  pastor  received  a  letter 
of  grateful  appreciation  from  him,  containing 
some  crude  verses  which  the  young  man  had 
composed  during  the  night  watches : 

Oftentimes  I  sit  and  ponder, 

As  we  are  sailing  forth, 
Of  the  meeting  over  yonder. 

Where  I  first  did  meet  the  Lord. 

Once  I  knew  no  comfort, 

Always  discontent, 
And  harshly  saying  sadly, 

"Why  should  I  repent?" 


Incidents  115 

But  seems  as  though  it's  changing, 
As  I  read  my  lesson  through, 

I  can't  help  a-thinking 

Of  what  else  that  I  can  do. 

Pray,  and  read  my  Bible, 

And  learn  my  lesson  through. 

Then  pass  it  to  my  shipmate. 
And  let  him  read  it,  too. 

Then  I'll  tell  him  where  I  got  it, 

And  what  I  got  it  for. 
And  tell  him  that  there's  more  room 

Through  the  open  door. 

And  if  he  wants  to  enter, 

I'll  take  him  by  the  hand. 
And  lead  him  there  in  glory. 

As  best  I  possibly  can. 

So,  brothers  and  dear  sisters. 
Is  there  more  that  I  can  do? 

If  so,  I  wish  you'd  tell  me, 

For  I'd  like  to  learn  it  through. 

But  here  I'll  gently  tell  you 
Of  something  that  is  grand — 

That  God  is  on  the  ocean 
Just  the  same  as  on  the  land. 

That  Record. — "  I  am  right  glad  to  welcome 
you  home  again,  and  so  glad  yon  are  willing  to 
take  a  class  in  our  Home  Department.  You 
shall  have  most  of  those  you  had  before  you 
went  away,  and  some  new  ones.  I  know  that 
you   will   be   glad   to   have    Mrs.    Blake."     The 


1 1 6         The  Home  Department  of  To-day 

Visitor  laughed,  for  in  the  five  years  of  Home 
Department  life,  Mrs.  Blake  had  been  one  of 
the  incorrigibles.  She  would  not  mark  her  study 
record  nor  tell  what  she  did,  but  she  absolutely 
refused  to  be  dropped  or  considered  in  any  way 
a  delinquent.  She  was  interested  in  the  church 
work,  and  for  the  sake  of  her  husband  the  De- 
partment overlooked  her  breaches  of  discipline. 
But  now  there  was  to  be  a  pruning  of  the  entire 
school.  Records  were  to  be  gone  over  thor- 
oughly and  corrected ;  no  one  was  to  be  counted 
twice,  and  if  any  had  been  absent  for  three 
months,  they  were  to  be  looked  up,  and  if  need- 
ful their  names  taken  from  the  roll.  The  Home 
Department  was  to  come  in  for  its  share,  and 
the  study  record  must  be  kept  by  each  member. 

"  My  dear  Mrs.  Blake,  I  am  very  grateful  for 
your  generous  offering,  but  you  have  forgotten 
to  mark  your  study  record.  Have  you  studied 
every  lesson,  or  have  you  missed  some?  I  will 
mark  it  for  you  this  time,  and  will  you  please 
remember  to  do  it  hereafter  ?  We  have  to  have 
this  in  order  for  our  superintendent  to  make 
her  report  to  the  school.  You  know  the  study 
counts  just  the  same  as  attendance  in  point  of 
rule." 

Mrs.  Blake's  face  hardened  into  set  lines,  and 
she  said,  "  Well,  I  have  studied  some,  but  I 
never  have  kept  account,  and  never  shall,  by 


Incidents  wj 

making  those  silly  marks  on  the  envelope. 
Didn't  I  agree,  when  I  joined,  to  study  every 
lesson  unless  prevented  by  some  good  cause? 
Well,  that  will  have  to  answer."  "  But  I  do  want 
to  mark  you  '  present '  in  a  sense,  and  give  you 
credit  for  what  you  do,  and  you  would  never 
want  credit  for  what  you  did  not,"  pleaded  the 
Visitor.  But  argue  as  she  would,  she  could  not 
get  Mrs.  Blake  to  see  why  she  need  mark  that 
envelope.  At  last  a  happy  thought  came  to  her. 
''  Your  little  grandson  goes  to  Sunday-school 
now ;  isn't  that  fine !  I  suppose  that  he  goes 
every  Sunday."  *'  Yes,  he  has  not  missed  one 
excepting  the  time  he  had  the  measles."  ''  Oh, 
well,  I  suppose  that  he  was  counted  present  just 
the  same."  Mrs.  B.  looked  in  amazement  at  the 
Visitor.  "  Of  course  he  wasn't ;  I  guess  that 
he  counts  when  he  is  there,  but,  of  course,  not 
when  he  isn't."  "  You  are  not  very  consistent, 
dear  Mrs.  Blake.  According  to  your  own  prac- 
tise a  member  is  a  member,  and  present  every 
Sunday,  no  matter  how  it  goes.  The  secretary 
of  the  school  has  no  duties  save  to  look  at  the 
membership  of  the  school  and  give  that  each 
Sunday.  What  is  the  use  of  going  over  the 
record  of  attendance  of  the  day?  They  have 
all  joined  the  school  and  will  come  if  they  can." 
Mrs.  Blake  looked  steadily  at  the  friend  for 
a  long  time.    Then  she  said  slowly :  *'  Give  me 


I  i  8         The  Home  Department  of  To-day 

that  envelope  and  that  pencil ;  I  see  it  now." 
After  the  record  had  been  made  she  was  asked, 
"  Now,  won't  you  tell  me  just  the  reason  you 
have  been  so  persistent  about  this  matter?  Why 
have  you  been  so  reluctant  to  keep  the  record  ?  " 
"  Well,  you  see,  I  did  not  quite  understand, 
though  I  thought  I  did.  Somehow  the  import- 
ance of  it  never  made  itself  felt  till  you  spoke  as 
you  did  of  Freddie's  not  being  counted  each 
Sunday.  To  tell  the  truth,  I  thought  it  was 
just  your  everlasting  curiosity  as  to  my  ability 
to  keep  my  agreement,  and  I  was  bound  not  to 
gratify  it ;  but  I  see  now  that  I  was  wrong.'^ 

SOME  MESSENGER  HAPPENINGS. 

When  the  visitors  of  the  Home  Department 
adopted  the  one-call-a-week  plan,  some  anxiety 
was  felt  regarding  the  envelope.  Would  the 
Messenger  be  able  to  secure  the  record  of 
study?  The  testimony  of  one  of  the  members 
settled  all  forebodings : 

**  Why,  Deacon  A — !  You've  only  studied 
ten  lessons,  and  there  are  twelve  in  the  quarter. 
Been  away?"  No;  the  Deacon  had  not  been 
away.  ''Been  sick?"  No;  not  sick.  "Well, 
but  say.  Deacon,"  said  our  earnest  Messenger, 
"  I  say  it's  too  bad — just  guess  you  got  a  little 
lazy;  I  did  want  all  my  class  to  have  a  perfect 


Incidents  119 

record.  Say,  I've  got  to  go  to  several  other 
places,  and  if  you'll  go  right  in  now  and  hustle, 
you'll  have  time  to  make  up  those  two  lessons. 
I'll  call  on  my  way  back." 

**  Well,  now,"  said  the  Deacon,  "  I  did  hustle. 
The  lad  was  so  intensely  in  earnest  about  it  all. 
I  promise  you  that  he  won't  catch  me  that  way 
again." 

"  I  know  why  we  have  a  blue  and  white 
badge."  "Why?"  ''You  see  the  white  means 
purity  and  the  blue  means  loyalty — and  we  boys 
have  to  be  loyal  and  pure  to  be  Messengers." 

One  day  while  standing  on  the  edge  of  the 
sidewalk,  a  boy  ran  across  the  street  and  said, 
"  Hullo,  Mother  Stebbins  !  " 

I  looked  down  and  saw  a  boy  with  a  bright, 
mischievous   face.     ''  Who   are  you  ?  "   I  asked. 

"  Don't  you  remember  me  ?     I'm  Leon  S — " 

Then  I  remembered  him — and  looking  closely 
I  saw  his  badge  of  service,  the  button.  **  What 
are  you  up  to?     I  see  that  you're  on  duty." 

"  Nothin'  much." 

"  Oh,  but  if  you  are  one  of  my  boys — and  you 
must  be,  because  only  my  boys  call  me  '  mother,' 
— you  should  tell  me  what  you  are  doing  for 
the  Master." 

*'  Well,  then,  if  you  must  know — I'm  huntin' 
kids." 

I  was  displeased,  and  I  think  that  I  showed  it. 


1 20        The  Home  Department  of  To-day 

So  many  times  I  had  told  superintendents  to 
instill  into  the  boys'  hearts  and  minds  that  their 
work  was  pre-eminently  a  sacred  work,  work 
that  the  Master  would  do — and  that  they  do  it 
in  His  stead.  So  I  said  sternly :  '*  Leon,  you 
ought  not  to  wear  your  badge  for  anything  like 
that." 

He  looked  up  quickly  and  said : 

"  It's  all  right,  and  you  will  say  so,  too,  when 
I  tell  you :  You  remember  Mrs.  French  and  her 
twin  boys?  Well,  the  boys  are  lost.  Mrs. 
French  came  into  my  mother's,  crying  like  every- 
thing. She  said  she'd  got  three  policemen  huntin' 
tor  'em,  and  she  wanted  me  to  hunt,  too.  She 
kept  sayin',  *  My  little  lambs  !  My  little  lambs  !  ' 
Humph !  felt  as  if  I  shouldn't  care  if  they  was 
never  found ;  for  they're  such  an  awful  nuisance 
— so  I  was  goin'  to  tell  her  that  I  couldn't  find 
'em.  The  idea  of  calling  those  kids  '  little 
lambs !'  Before  I  had  a  chance  to  say  anything, 
mother  looked  at  me.  When  she  looks  that  way 
it  means,  *  Think  before  you  speak.'  So  I 
thought." 

For  a  moment  he  stood  silent,  kicking  the 
curbing  with  the  toe  of  his  shoe ;  then  he  looked 
up  with  serious  eyes  and  said : 

'*  Do  you  know  our  parson's  favorite  hymn  ?  " 

I  was  puzzled.  I  could  grasp  no  connection 
with  the  subject  in  hand. 


Incidents  1 2 1 

"Well— it's  'The   Ninety-and-Nine.' " 

Bump!  went  the  toe  of  his  shoe  again.  Some- 
thing came  up  in  my  throat,  and  I  had  hard 
work  to  choke  it  down ;  a  mistiness  came  before 
my  eyes ;  but  there  was  a  song  of  thanksgiving 
in  my  heart  as  I  followed  his  reasoning.  Glanc- 
ing up,  all  the  seriousness  gone,  and  fun  and 
mischief  again  gaining  the  mastery,  he  said : 

"  Say,  Mother  Stebbins,  ain't  two  Httle  lost 
lambs  equal  to  a  lost  sheep  ?  " 

He  was  about  to  dart  away,  but  I  collared 
him  back,  and  thrust  into  his  hand  a  postal  card, 
and  said :  "  Leon,  you  are  right ;  you  do  right 
to  wear  your  button.  Let  me  know  if  you  find 
the  children." 

Three  days  later  I  received  this  on  a  postal 
from  Leon : 

"  Dear  Mother  Stebbins  : — Kids  found,  howl- 
ing like  mad.  I  beat  the  policemen  (for  Christ's 
sake).     Leon." 

The  last  three  words,  so  finely  written  that 
I  could  barely  make  them  out,  explained  in 
words  what  face,  voice,  and  manner  did  to  me  as 
he  defended  his  right  to  wear  his  badge  of 
service. 

On  the  Sleeper. — The  section  opposite  mine 
was  taken  by  the  most  interesting  family,  a 
mother  and  three  children.  Evidently  the  mother 
was  an  invalid  and  the  care  that  the  children  tried 


122         The  Home  Department  of  To-day 

to  take  of  her  was  beautiful  to  witness.  As  night 
drew  near,  the  mother  asked  the  porter  if  he 
would  make  up  their  berths  very  early,  as  they 
were  very  tired.  As  he  was  about  to  begin,  I 
invited  them  to  sit  with  me.  There  was  one  girl 
of  about  twelve,  another  about  seven,  and  a  small 
boy  of  about  three  years  of  age,  all  such  pretty, 
bright  children.  As  the  porter's  *'  All  right  now, 
lady,"  sounded  in  our  ears,  the  little  boy  said, 
"  Oh,  dear  mother,  can't  we  have  prayers  out 
here  in  the  light?  I  hate  that  dark,  stufify  little 
hole."  The  little  mother  colored  warmly,  and 
looked  questioningly  at  me.  I  said,  "  Surely 
have  them  here ;  I  know  just  how  your  little  one 
hates  the  dark  berth."  Without  more  words  the 
oldest  girl  took  from  her  Httle  bag  a  small  Bible, 
and  the  mother  read  a  short  chapter ;  then,  to  my 
amazement,  the  children,  followed  by  the  mother, 
knelt  between  the  two  seats  and  the  prayers  were 
offered ;  first  the  oldest  girl,  then  the  next,  then 
the  little  one's,  *'  Now  I  lay  me,"  and  then  the 
mother,  such  a  fervent  prayer  for  His  blessing 
and  his  strength  and  his  comfort.  Then,  still 
kneeling,  they  sang  all  four  verses  of  *'  My  Jesus, 
I  love  Thee ;"  sang  it  so  softly  that  those  in  the 
next  section  could  not  have  heard  them.  Then 
they  kissed  each  other  and  rose  to  their  feet. 
The  mother  put  her  little  ones  to  bed  and  then 
came  back   to  me.     *'  You  v;ere  very  kind  to 


Incidents  123 

allow  us  to  have  our  evening  devotions  here,  and 
somehow  I  feel  I  ought  to  explain  a  little  to 
you."  I  assured  her  that  I  was  deeply  interested 
and  should  appreciate  anything  that  she  might 
feel  like  telling  me,  but  that  she  need  feel  under 
no  obligations  at  all  in  the  matter. 

**  I  do  not  often  speak  to  strangers,  but  some- 
thing makes  me  want  to  tell  you  a  little  of  my 
history  that  will  explain  what  you  have  heard 
and  seen  to-night.  It  is  not  customary  for  sucH 
exhibitions  to  take  place  in  a  public  sleeper;  but, 
dear  lady,  I  just  could  not  bear  to  have  my  chil- 
dren think  that  He  must  be  slighted  in  any  way 
in  any  place;  I  know  that  you  understand  just 
what  I  mean.  Several  years  ago  my  husband 
lost  all  his  money  and  his  health,  and  just  when 
things  seemed  darkest  for  us  we  had  word  that 
an  aunt  of  his  had  died  and  left  him  all  her 
estate  in  the  southwest.  So  we  left  New  York 
and  went  to  Arizona.  We  had  no  knowledge 
of  the  place,  but  knew  that  the  ranch  was  large, 
well-stocked  and  efificiently  managed,  and  that 
there  was  a  good  surplus  of  funds  in  the  bank. 
But  when  we  got  there  we  were  troubled.  No 
neighbors  for  miles,  and  when  you  got  to  them 
they  were  not  the  kind  you  would  like  to  associ- 
ate with.  There  were,  besides,  no  school  or 
church  privileges.  My  husband  was  not  a  Chris- 
tian, and  the  thought  that  I  should  have  to  bring 


1 24         The  Home  Department  of  To-day 

up  my  two  little  girls  without  any  help  was  hard 
to  endure. 

*'  As  I  was  about  beginning  to  despair  I  re- 
ceived a  letter  and  large  package  from  one  of 
the  good  women  of  our  church  at  home.  She  did 
not  know  how  we  were  situated,  but  inasmuch  as 
I  still  belonged  to  them,  they  would  like  to  know. 
Couldn't  they  help  me  in  any  way?  How  were 
the  girls  ?  How  near  was  the  church  ?  etc.  Then 
she  told  me  of  a  new  work  they  had  introduced 
in  the  school,  a  department  called  the  Home  De- 
partment ;  you  know  what  that  is  ?  Well,  then 
I  won't  burden  you  with  explanations,  but  just 
say  that  here  was  the  solution  for  all  my  diffi- 
culties. The  girls  and  I  joined  the  Department; 
and  every  month  quarterlies  and  papers  and  other 
literature  came  to  us  from  the  home  church. 
They  sent  us  the  order  of  the  Sunday-school 
service,  and  on  Sundays  we  had  our  home 
school.  When  the  little  boy  came  we  had  him 
enrolled  on  the  Cradle  Roll.  Then  it  was  that 
husband  asked  if  he,  too,  might  not  become  a 
member.  I  was  overjoyed  for  I  had  never  dared 
hope  that  he  would  join  us  in  our  study,  for  he 
had  professed  to  disbelieve  the  Bible.  So  he 
joined  our  class,  and  we  were  a  united  family. 
Then  we  began  to  invite  the  men  and  their  fam- 
ihes  that  lived  on  the  ranch  and  we  had  quite  a 
school.     After   a   little,   husband  began  asking 


Incidents  125 

me  questions  about  my  faith,  and  soon  he  be- 
came an  earnest  Christian.  It  was  his  dream 
to  go  back  to  New  York  with  me  and  join  the 
dear  home  church  that  had  reached  out  its  warm 
hand  and  kept  us  close  to  its  heart  and  inter- 
ests, and  to  this  we  all  looked  forward.  Just  as 
we  thought  that  we  might  leave,  the  fever  came 
and  after  a  short  illness  he  was  taken  from  us. 
His  death  was  so  unlooked  for  that  I  have  felt 
almost  stunned.  He  was  so  happy  up  to  the 
very  last,  he  knew  he  had  to  go  and  called  it 
'  going  home  to  get  ready  for  us,'  and  that  is 
the  way  the  children  think  of  it  all.  He  loved 
the  hymn  we  sung  to-night  above  all  others,  for 
he  used  to  say  that  it  expressed  so  sweetly  what 
he  could  not  put  into  language  himself,  but  which 
he  felt.  So  we  sing  it  every  night  as  a  ''  good- 
night "  to  papa,  and  I  just  could  not  ask  them 
to  omit  it  to-night,  if  it  was  a  strange  thing  to 
do.  It  does  not  seem  strange  to  them  in  their 
innocence.  Now  I  am  going  home  to  my  father 
and  to  the  dear  church.  I  think  that  I  have 
never  told  this  to  any  one  before,  but  I  felt  that 
you  should  understand  why  I  made  your  section 
perhaps  a  little  conspicuous. 

"  You  say  that  you  know  something  of  the 
work,  and  as  I  saw  your  Bible  and  quarterly,  I 
knew  that  we  were  of  the  same  family,  and  I 
suppose  that  is  why  I  felt  moved  to  take  you 


126         The  Home  Department  of  To-day 

into  my  confidence.  What  do  you  think  of  this 
newest  child  of  the  Sunday-school?  Have  you 
ever  had  any  experience  with  it?" 

For  answer  I  handed  her  my  card  and  said, 
"  For  five  years  I  have  given  all  my  time  to 
advancing  this  Department,  but  in  all  that  time 
I  have  never  realized,  as  you  have  just  now 
made  me  realize,  what  a  wonderful  evangelizing 
agency  this  Department  may  be."  Then,  being 
two  women,  we  just  kissed  and  cried  to  our 
hearts'  content,  and  we  had  our  evening  service 
together.  Who  can  measure  the  amount  of  good 
the  Home  Department  may  accomplish?  It  is 
proving  true  His  saying  that  "  He  will  not  suffer 
His  Word  to  return  unto  Him  void." 


THE  CONCLUSION  OF  THE  WHOLE 
MATTER. 

A  number  of  small  boys  were  observed  look- 
ing at  a  billboard  in  a  field  on  which  was  a  frac- 
tion of  a  circus  picture,  with  these  words,  "  The 
Greatest  Institution  on  Earth."  They  were  hav- 
ing a  very  animated  discussion  and  one  said,  *'  I 
do  not  think  any  circus  is  the  greatest  institution 
on  earth.  I  know  what  is,  it  is  the  Burbank 
Hospital.  My  brother  went  there  and  they  made 
him  all  new  after  the  accident.  A  hospital  is  the 
very  greatest  institution  about  here."    "  No,  it  is 


Incidents  127 

not,"  emphatically  stated  another.  "  My  brother 
goes  to  college  in  Cambridge,  called  Harvard. 
They  turn  out  all  sorts  of  wise  men  down  there. 
They  know  just  how  to  do  it ;  so  I  think  that  a 
college  is  the  greatest  institution  on  earth." 
*'  Well,  you  are  all  wrong,"  said  an  ardent  little 
Irish  lad.  '*  Guess  you  haven't  been  in  the  new 
Catholic  church  in  Leominster.  My  !  but  it  is 
fine.  And  the  churches  everywhere  are  all  fine, 
and  you  ought  to  know  that  churches  are  the 
very  greatest  institutions  on  earth."  Another 
boy,  who  had  studied  the  picture  and  the  words, 
and  had  listened  earnestly  to  the  ideas  of  the 
other  boys,  said :  **  Well,  all  are  big  things  that 
you  have  said,  but  I  do  not  think  you  are  right. 
I  think  that  the  greatest  institution  on  earth  is 
my  father,  my  mother,  and  me."  We  are  inclined 
to  agree  with  the  boy.  Churches,  colleges,  hospi- 
tals, are  all  great  and  grand  institutions,  but  the 
very  greatest  institution  on  this  earth  to-day  is 
that  divinely-instituted  one,  the  family. 

Too  little  attention  is  paid  to-day  to  the  family 
life.  It  is  the  individual  that  claims  our  study 
to  the  exclusion  of  the  family.  Homes  have 
given  way  to  flats  and  apartments  with  com- 
munity dining-rooms,  clubs  monopolize  the  at- 
tention of  both  fathers  and  mothers.  Nurses 
and  housekeepers  are  given  the  care  of  children. 
Teachers  and  governesses  have  the  training  of 


1 28         The  Home  Department  of  To-day 

their  minds.  The  spiritual  Ufe  is  left  to  grow 
as  best  it  may  with  what  help  the  children  may 
get  from  the  pastor  or  Sunday-school  teacher. 
We  cry  out  at  the  irreligion  of  the  day  on  the 
part  of  our  young  people,  and  contrast  it  with 
the  stable  thoughtfulness  of  the  deep  things  of 
life  as  manifested  by  those  of  a  generation  ago. 
The  children  are  not  to  blame,  it  is  the  great 
change  in  the  manner  of  living.  Progress  has 
been  made  in  many  ways,  but  no  improvement 
can  be  made  on  God's  way  of  salvation. 

The  Home  Department  of  the  Sunday-school 
is  one  of  the  best  institutions  the  church  can 
employ  to  help  correct  what  promises  to  become 
one  of  the  greatest  of  our  national  evils — a  loose 
family  life.  If  every  member  of  the  family  can 
be  won  to  join  together  in  the  study  of  God's 
Word  and  all  feel  a  vital  interest  in  the  church 
and  school,  that  family  is  safe.  Let  every  super- 
intendent and  pastor  be  alive  to  the  wonderful 
possibilities  of  this  work  and  see  to  it  that  they 
have  one  in  connection  with  their  school. 

Would  that  this  might  be  the  aim  of  all  who 
love  Him  and  the  study  of  His  Word,  and  that 
all  might  strive  earnestly  to  accomplish  it. 
"  Every  member  of  every  family,  a  member  of 
the  Bible  study  department  of  the  church ;  study- 
ing together,  as  a  family,  the  weekly  Sunday- 
school  lessons." 


